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   Jack Thompson must be a happy, happy little attorney right about now, because his dream of seeing Manhunt 2 banned has come to fruition this week. For the first time in the last ten years, the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) has practically banned a game in the UK, by refusing Manhunt 2 a rating - and thus making it illegal to be sold in the territory. The same verdict was also dictated in Ireland by the Irish Film Censor's Offices, who believes that the "level of gross, unrelenting and gratuitous violence" in Manhunt 2 is simply "unacceptable".
"Manhunt 2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing", BBFC's statement reads. "There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game."    The statement only referrs to the PS2 and Wii versions of Rockstar's killing-spree game (not the PSP version... yet). It also mentions that this is the first video game to be refused a classification since Carmageddon in 1997, when that decision was overturned on appeal by the game's publisher, SCi. Similarly, Rockstar / Take-Two also have the right to appeal the board's decision, but such an announcement has not been made as of yet.

   Rockstar's only reaction so far was to state they are "disappointed" by this decision, with which they "emphatically disagree", arguing that:
"Manhunt 2 is an entertainment experience for fans of psychological thrillers and horror. The subject matter of this game is in line with other mainstream entertainment choices for adult consumers."    But worst of all for Take-Two is that Manhunt 2 is now also as-good-as-banned in the US, too. After the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) gave the game an "Adults Only" rating, both Sony and Nintendo confirmed that their policy does not allow third-party AO-rated games to be released on their consoles. So no more Manhunt 2 for Wii, PS2, or PSP!

   With such a strong and unanimous position against the game, GI.biz comes to the obvious conclusion: Rockstar is WAY out of line this time!
"In making such a game Rockstar has been juvenile, shameful and irresponsible. The right of creators to push the boundaries of media and society must be balanced out against a simple sense of social responsibility - something with Rockstar seems to entirely lack." UPDATE: "[Take-Two] has temporarily suspended plans to distribute Manhunt 2 for the Wii or PlayStation platforms while it reviews its options with regard to the recent decisions made by the BBFC and ESRB", the publisher said in a written statement. [23.06.2007, 16:30]