Manhunt 2 Banned

I bet you any money it was the immersive functions of the Wii version that did it.

Boooo! Ban the BBFC. As a 33 year old man with his head firmly screwed on, I find it DEEPLY insulting that some toff in a box can tell me what games I can and can't play.

And I very much doubt that the disturbing nature of Manhunt is nowhere near as bad as films such as Hostel and Wolf Creek, which are just violent for the sake of violence, while Manhunt is (as far as I know) a comment on violence in games. OK, so it's gruesome but the graphics are hardly realistic, it's OBVIOUS you're just playing a game. And it is a game I'd want to play, because the last one was tense and exciting. I can assure you I have not stabbed anyone in the eye with a glass shard since playing it, and I don't intend to.

Get a grip BBFC, and stop pandering to the ill-informed knee-jerk reactionary Daily Mail readers in our society. We should focus on making sure 18 rated games are only available to those over 18, and NOT punish everyone including the mature, responsible adults who want to play them.

I find it funny that this happens just before the games release next month

The other funny thing is that Rockstar could surely appeal here. If the game is given an 18 rating, what's the problem. Rockstar could argue with other games as in a similar vein that have been passed, shouldn't have been either. Hopefully that Video Appeal Board will look at this again, because if Rockstar loose they are gonna loose so much money.

If it's the Wii version that's tipped things, this is now gonna cause a lot of gamers to be importing it from other PAL terroritories. Praise the lord for import gaming. Another nanny state crappy decision.

On one level I agree with you guys that creative but violent games should not be stopped from sale to mentally-stable adults HOWEVER I think that we do need a vetting process and that banning games that are beyond what "the public" would consider acceptable and in good taste (and so that it doesn't disturb people) is equally as important.

I haven't played Manhunt 2 so I can't really comment on it. If the violence portrayed is as bad, but no worse, than films that have been released under the 18 classification, then I don't see a reason to ban, however if there is something in there that is so distrubing that the BBFC felt that it was not acceptable for this to be exposed to the public, then I'm inclined to say that they know best - remember that the BBFC has actually been amazingly fair to videogames in the past.

Ultimately in this situation I have trust that the BBFC know what they're doing and if they say it should be banned, and Rockstar loose an appeal, then I don't see an issue with this whatsoever.

In any society, you make a choice. You choose whether freedom of speech for everyone is more important than the petty whining of those who feel offense. Nobody should have the right to tell me, as an adult, what I can and cannot watch, any more than i should have the right to turn up at their house and splatter them with entrails. Censorship for the purposes of lower age classifications is just about acceptable (when done voluntarily for greater market penetration), but censorship of material intended for adults is a crime against every freedom we have achieved in our history. Noone is hurt when I play a violent videogame. Society is hurt when people claim the right to prevent me from doing so.

I'm with you Dave, this is another nanny like decision to pander to those conservative people who don't play games, while reinforcing that stigma that games are for kids and not adults, when in truth they are for both.

Its been long known that the BBFC is made up of people who see more films than anything else like games, it could be said that this plays into their thinking when rating games. I could easily be wrong here though (do correct me someone).

Perhaps it might be an idea for Spong to ask the BBFC for an interview on this subject, and why it's okay film films like Hostel and Saw, but not games. I bet they'll play the interactivity card (which holds no weight as you would need to prove that link, that gamer A would go out and act out what he plays).

Perhaps Rockstar should have been smart and dropped the Manhunt name, then this wouldn't have attracted so much attention.

Will we be able to pick the game up from the US? is this the final say or will rockstar appeal against it?

Adam, do you trust all national institutions because they are in positions of power? Did you trust the media to report on the Sony vs Church debate fairly? If the answer is no, then how on earth can you, fully trust that BBFC decision unless you get some tangible evidence to back up their decision, beyond a statement saying it's banned in the u.k?

So much questionable stuff out there in books (American Psycho, very dark which anyone can buy), films (Saw, Hostel, Wolf Creek, etc etc). If this game were being marketed at a teen market then fair enough. However Rockstar's games are aimed at an older audience, so that 18 cert should be enough to get it out there. Are us adults now children?

With plenty of real life violence going on in the world it now seems its a crime to escape reality and have fun. A shame for every adult out there if this ban stays intact. It possible this decision could also be influenced by the current climate concerning games (which always highlights the negative and ignores the positive).

F**k the BBFC

From a BBC article:

"The original Manhunt game caused huge controversy and was blamed for the murder of Stefan Pakeerah."

HOWEVER

"Police said robbery was the motive behind the attack on Stefan in Stokes Wood Park on 26 February 2004 - and not the video game blamed by Stefan's parents."

Yeah sorry, ignore the police who know the case BETTER THEN YOU DO YOU GRIVING BITCH, sorry blame it on manhunt. Not the fact that you let your son get involved with some pyshco.

If you don't like something, don't play it, watch it, or read it. Just F**K off, and leave the rest of us alone.

You make a good point there, as I don't recall the police or media ever apologising about blaming Manhunt for the young lads death, when the same lad who died actually owned the game. Thus Manhunt has had a bad rep for no reason (despite being a bit cheesy gamewise).

Now Rockstar deserve an apology, (more than the Church vs Sony, ever did).

Because of this ban, our U.K allocation will end up in europe and australia. Use you rights and shop there.

I rarely trust the media. All media is biased. Since when have media companies been an publically-owned or national service service? You can't compare the BBFC and Sky. The BBFC is an industry body backed by law, and this decision shows its independance.



Well, what evidence do you have that their decision was wrong? Have you played the game? I haven't but I respect that the BBFC has a vast amount of experience classifying games and, in the past, in my opinion, has always been correct and not influenced by public perceptions. For example, they gave Bully a 15 certification which was totally appropriate.



So, we should create a game called "Paedophile Paradise" and allow everyone to purchase it, just because everyone has the right to create and purchase everything? Or a game where you go around killing and toturing real-life politicians in inventive ways just because game maker doesn't like them? Sometimes censorship is needed, in my opinion.

All the films you mention are OTT to begin with and have no interactivity.

Teens will obtain copies of Manhunt 2 regardless as to if it is aimed to them. Rockstar has a teenage audience from GTA who will want to purchase titles from the company.

As I said, I haven't played them game, but I'm guessing for the BBFC to ban it it much be extremely bad.



So there's a lot of violence in real-life therefore it's good to go and kill fictional people in games? Is that the argument? As I said, I don't think the BBFC are influenced by the agenda of the media, as previous evidence states the opposite.

What? So we are allowed to see b******s like Hostel and Hostel 2. we are allowed to watch mind retarding crap like Big Brother and Epic Movie. Watch hardcore porn, and sanctified violence in the form of boxing. But we can't play a game where you murder people. We can listen to death music, watch bombs fall in HD on foreign countries but not play A GAME! When will people stop blaming media, and start taking responsibility for themselves? i have played games like this all my life (or whatever its equivalent is), and i don't want to go kill anyone. I think there is such a hysteria because people realise they aren't there to say no to their kids, and so THEY are to blame for all this. I'll just buy it online.

Good think, IMO

It'll save a lot of honest, hard working people from wasting their money on a steaming pile of s**t.

they granted Manhunt an 18 rating and now - even after they published a report saying that violent games impress teh viewer less than films - they ban this one

they're admitting that they either got it wrong with manhunt 1 or they're swayed by the media

The quote from them says that this game is worse than the original....