Government Goes After Manhunt 2: Bedamned Real Violence

One of the things that I absolutely love about politicizations is how they go after the small and meaning less battles. Case in point presidential hopeful Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY ), along with Joe Lieberman (independent), Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Republican Senator Sam Brownback, took the time to write a letter to the ESRB rating board. In the letter they're suggesting that it might be in their best interest to reconsider their rating system. The politicizations stated that "it may be desirable to revise or enhance the current ESRB rating system."

It seems that they're not happy about the re-rating of Manhunt 2, in which ESRB gave the game a M for Mature rating instead of the original AO Adults Only rating.

Way to go Hillary!!!

Instead of concerning yourself with making REAL streets safe, you and the other morons have chosen the easy path of going after a video game rating company. It would be nice if you would concern yourself about REAL violence instead of video game ratings. Where is that letter to law officials about how our streets are not safe, and what you plan on doing about it? Or are you worried that going after those groups may cost you votes?

Target Bans Manhunt 2: Code Unlocks Original Violence

Manhunt 2 is being pulled of the shelves at Target due to a "code" that is floating around that reverts the game back to its original gory-violent ways. Target found out about this and decided to pull the game from their stores. I had a feeling that something like this would happen, once the developers of the game were forced to tone it down. Games like this typically will have a code "leak" of some kind that will allow a user to play the unrated version.

My problem is with Target and their double standard on media. There are tons of movies that are on their very shelves right now that are more gory and violent than Manhunt 2. How they justify that is beyond me, but I get the feeling that this is coming from the stock holders. Are games marketed towards kids? Yes. But there are many adults who play games that are not for, or marketed towards kids. Just as there are movies that are marketed towards adults, and not kids.

I wish everyone would get on the same page.

[Crunchgear]

No Manhunt 2

If you ever played the first Manhunt, you know how cool the game is, and also how violent. Recently Sony and Nintendo stated that they would not allow Manhunt 2 to be released on the PS3 or Wii game consoles, due to the AO (Adults Only) rating the game received.

This caused the makers of the game 'Take-Two' to delay the release until they figure out what to do. I know that they most likely will edit the game to get the more favorable 'M' (Mature) rating, but my hopes is that they consider releasing the AO version for the computer or Xbox 360. This brings up the issue of freedom of creative expression and how it's being threatened by Sony and Nintendo.

Hopefully 'Take-Two' will not take the easy route and at least release two versions of the game.

Read the rest after the jump. [opposablethumbs via Slashgear]