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]

NY State Votes on Violent Game Ban

Today, New York state came one step closer to curbing violent video games. Both the State Senate and the House have passed video game violence resolutions. The laws have support from both sides of the aisle, making it very likely, New York will have some sort of violent game law by the end of the year.

New York legislators want to restrict the distribution of violent games to minors. The Senate and the House will have to come together and reconcile their two different bills, but that shouldn't be hard considering how good it looks to adult voters that you're trying to keep first person shooters out of the fragile minds of children.

Despite numorous studies that cut the tie between violent video games and violent people, law makers and politicos keep trying to rally public support behind making games less violent.

Choo! Choo! All aboard the censorship train! Next stop, missing the point entirely!

Read the insanity after the jump. [GamePolitics.com]