News
BBFC rejects revised Manhunt 2
Tim Ingham Oct 8 2007, 11:28am
Comments (15)
Rockstar’s edited version fails to gain classification
The British Board of Film Classification has rejected a revised version of Rockstar’s Manhunt 2, accusing the publisher of 'ignoring' its suggestions for changes to the game's content.
The original version of Manhunt 2 was turned down by the BBFC in June for its ‘unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone’.
David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:
“We recognise that the distributor has made changes to the game, but we do not consider that these go far enough to address our concerns about the original version.
“The impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient. There has been a reduction in the visual detail in some of the ‘execution kills’, but in others they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature.
“We did make suggestions for further changes to the game, but the distributor has chosen not to make them, and as a result we have rejected the game on both platforms.
The decision on whether or not an appeal goes ahead lies with the distributor.”
It is unclear whether the new edition was the same as that approved for a ‘Mature’ Rating by US rating board the ESRB in August.
Rockstar’s last hope to get the game released in the UK now rests with the Video Appeals Committee, which is expected to hear the publisher’s plea later this year.
Rockstar’s appeal with the VAC was suspended as the BBFC considered the revised version of Manhunt 2 for classification.
Comments
“Pity”
Posted by: AB - Oct 8, 11:54am
Its a shame, especially as now it means imports are going to be coming through by the shed load.
I was looking forward to playing this game, and maybe more so after all this hype, but mainly because games like this make gameplaying just that little bit varied.
I can say that people who blame games/films/music for their behaviour must think the world is naive and that blame can be passed so easily.
It would be nice for the BBFC to see that and allow adults to make their own choices on the games they play, like they can with films and music we listen to.
“Re: Joy”
Posted by: Experienced Game Developer - Oct 8, 12:05pm
This is great news. My choice is to take a harder stand against violence in video games.
It is naive to think that people are not influenced by what they immerse themselves in.
“Re: Joy”
Posted: Oct 8, 12:12pm
what is really naive is to think that its ok to ban this game, who are you to decide what i think is ok to play?
prohibition and censorship only end up doing more harm than not allowing adults to make their own decisions
“Re: Joy”
Posted by: OTWarrior - Oct 8, 12:15pm
@ Experience Game Developer: So if I enjoy reading comics, I am going to think I am a super hero? What about if I get completey immersed in Sudoku, will I view everything as a Sudoku Puzzle?
What is wrong about letting people choose what they want to play?
What next? Ban the next gen graphics because it makes everything too realistic? where would YOU draw the line? What would be an acceptable ammount of violence in a game?
“Re: Joy”
Posted by: Graeme - Oct 8, 12:33pm
I am happy they banned it, not due to the violence in it as such but because Manhunt was a **** game and I am sure this one will be as well.
Some games/films etc have violence in them as part of a story etc like say...'The Bill' on ITV no one wants to ban that.
Some things are JUST the violence for the sake of it to shock etc, like the 'Saw' Films.
Things like this I just don't get. I am a huge horror film fan, slasher flicks etc but the newer films seem to have violence just for the sake of it they don't bother with anything that could even be called half a story.
Anyways! to close up my rant, Don't ban games for violent content ban them for being ****! Violence or not.
“Re: Joy”
Posted by: xxo ACE oxx - Oct 8, 12:59pm
To be honest I was not a fan of the Original Manhunt or am too bothered about the 2nd, but why should the BBFC be able to tell the gaming communitity what they can and can't buy.
Burnout does not make me want to drive my car at breakneck speeds and crash in to oncoming traffic, I don't have the sudden urge to chainsaw someone in half after playing Gears, Maybe I feel like kicking someone off a 20 story building after playing DOA I think not.
So after the BBFC has given all 4 Saw Movies a cert of 18 (Cause those are nice films full of fluffy bunnies and flowers)
why have they chosen not to give Manhunt a rating.
If people really want this game they will just import a copy as the ESRB in the US has rated this game as M (17 Years or older)
“...”
Posted by: Aufo - Oct 8, 2:33pm
Whats funny is that the BBFC recently commissioned an independent report into video games simply because they have been rating them for many years now but still don't really feel that they understand them. They wanted to see if there was any reason to believe that violent video games were to be viewed differently to films due to their interactivity. The conclusion was that no, video games due to their interactivity do not make them more harmful than films, and possibly that films are worse!
Itt would seem they didn't read it themselves as we can see from both the first and this second ruling.
“re: OTWarrior”
Posted by: Italo Eber - Oct 8, 3:44pm
If people should not be immersed in any thing because they are stupid enough not to know the difference between reality and a game,why people are not this ignorant when it comes to music, movies, tv and books ????????? hands the human drama ....
“Re: re: OTWarrior”
Posted by: Italo Eber - Oct 8, 3:46pm
Narrow minded people ... narrow minded people, that is all that there is to it :( ...a true shame...
“Re: re: OTWarrior”
Posted by: OTWarrior - Oct 8, 3:52pm
@Italo Eber: First, learn to string a sentance together that is readable. Second, there is a big difference between being immersed, and being obsessed. Third, I really do not understand what point you are trying to make ("Hands the human drama"?)
“Re: re: OTWarrior”
Posted by: Italo Eber - Oct 8, 9:36pm
Narrow minded people ... narrow minded people, that is all that there is to it :( ...a true shame...
“Blech”
Posted by: Father Time - Oct 8, 10:41pm
I find it absolutely repulsive that the BBFC thinks it knows what is and is not appropriate for the entire population of the U.K. They also seem to be demanding that Rockstar remove significant portions of the game which makes them seem like absolute scum (even moreso). I refuse to believe that a game movie book etc. can be so violent that the general adult population cannot handle it. Really it's not that hard to seperate it from fiction.
“i hate bbfc”
Posted by: witz - Oct 18, 1:48pm
i hate the bbfc if owt should be banned it should be them
“Re: i hate bbfc”
Posted by: James - Nov 13, 4:27pm
Why is it that Manhunt 2 is banned but films like A Clockwork Orange are acceptable. It's not bloody fair!
“Re: i hate bbfc”
Posted by: J - Nov 22, 10:16pm
The BBFC have no right to take away our human rights. It is our decision whether other people like it or not, on what we want to watch, play, or hear.
The media are also a big bunch of ****ers by blaming the first game on a murder when police who investigate the crime much more closely than any ******* journalist are the ones who can say what was the motives or cause for the crime, which was said by police nothing to do with the game.
Companies like the BBFC are slowly controlling us and taking away our freedom of choice. I bet people who work for the BBFC have even bloody bought an import of the game themselves and laugh at all of us who are not allowed to buy it in the UK.
I am sick of places like this that want to control every part of you. In North America no one care and anything goes and money buys anything, thats the way it all should be. Screw the BBFC and screw the UK, I am going to emmigrate and live life properly, and play any ******* game I want.