Manhunt 2 not for Adults Only
p2pnet news | Games:- Take-Two Interactive’s Manhunt 2, banned in Britain, will not be tagged Adults Only, the ESRB has ruled.
It’s, “the most senselessly violent and offensive thing I’ve ever watched,” said James Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, which advises parents about TV, movies, Net sites and video games.
“Last week news emerged that hackers had found a way past Rockstar’s ‘toned down’ version of Manhunt 2, adding the censored content back to the PSP version of the game,” says TechSpot, going on:
“This obviously reminded many of the hidden sex scene or ‘hot coffee mod’ in Gran [sic] Theft Auto: San Andreas, which ultimately led to the game’s rating being changed from ‘Mature’ to ‘Adults only’ and retailers pulling it off shelves.”
The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) figures, “the vast majority of consumers have not made the unauthorized modifications to their hardware necessary to view the content at issue”.
The board admits the games comes loaded with:
- Blood and Gore,
- Intense Violence,
- Strong Language,
- Strong Sexual Content,
- Use of Drugs
But, “ESRB critics pounced on the organization, as well as game publisher Take-Two Interactive and its development studio Rockstar Games, after the hacks were confirmed Thursday,” says the Mercury News, continuing:
“In the game, the player guides two people from an insane asylum who go on a killing spree with implements including axes.
“Not only should the AO rating immediately be reinstated on this game, the Federal Trade Commission should investigate Rockstar and the ESRB to determine how this was allowed to happen again,” said state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco.”
Yee was alluding to the hot coffee mod.
ESRB president Patricia Vance said the Manhunt 2 hack didn’t alter the fact that the rating, “makes it unmistakable that its content is solely intended for an older audience, says TechSpot, adding:
“According to Vance, this situation differed from the 2005 ‘Hot Coffee’ scandal stating that certain content had been hidden on that occasion, while this time the ESRB was aware of all the facts.”
Also See:
senselessly violent and offensive – ‘Don’t buy Manhunt 2′ warning, October 30, 2007
TechSpot – ESRB refuses to reclassify Manhunt 2 as “Adults Only”, November 5, 2007
Mercury News – ‘Manhunt 2′ rating stands, November 3, 2007
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November 6th, 2007 at 11:58 am
“Not only should the AO rating immediately be reinstated on this game, the Federal Trade Commission should investigate Rockstar and the ESRB to determine how this was allowed to happen again,” said state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco.”
Yet again Yee proves that he has no idea what he’s talking about. How is it Rockstar’s or the ESRB’s fault that someone illegally modified the game? Going by his logic, I could edit a rape scene into Shrek and the movie should be immediately re-rated R. And it would all be Dreamworks’ fault. I could edit “fuck the fucking motherfuckers!” into a Christian rock song, and it would be the band’s fault. I could make a nude mod for Princess Peach in a Mario game and it would be Nintendo’s fault.
Game developers have no control over what people do with their games or whether stores sell them to kids, but these politicians just ignore that and go on their self-righteous campaigns.
November 6th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Is that David Blaine holding a knife in the background?
November 6th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Looks more like Chester Bennington of Linkin Park.
November 6th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
where is Jack Thompson on this thing? I’d love to hear the nut make a statement or two or how about a rant! i miss those