DanJW

Manhunt 2 Banned in the UK

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I dislike the article because it brings up the accusations against the first game several times, as if this justified the banning or was relevant. Only at the end does it slip in the fact that the police found that it was in no way responsible for the murder. Pretty tabloid reporting for the BBC.

But the action itself - I duno, all media have a line of decency that will get it banned if crossed, most obviously films. Why shouldn't games have that line? I'm pretty sure that Manhunt 2 comes close to that line if not crosses it.

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Considering the BBFC didn't ban or required cutting of the Saw and Hostel movies I find this a bit strange. PEGI hasn't even rated the game yet. And the footage I've see of manhunt... well... it's quite violent, that's a given. But hardly any worse than what was seen in the Saw and Hostel movies.

Never understood a lot of the BBFC's decisions. I've seen about half of the listed "video nasties" and so far most of them are quite mediocre in violence, sadism and gore. The BBFC's decisions almost seem like the MPAA's rating board stuff (see the documentary "This film is not yet rated" to figure out how that thing works, the MPAA rating is very closed unlikes BBFC's).

Anyway... never been a fan of censorship.

And the only thing this banning will cause is pirating of the game in the UK.

:cens0red:

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I hate to admit it though but yesterday I was thinking I'd probably pick this game up some day but there was no real rush behind it. Now though, since it's been banned in my country, I really really want it, almost urgently, and I don't really know much about it.

Still hoping it'll be available in other European countries with English translations a la Rule of Rose.

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PEGI hasn't even rated the game yet.

BBFC ratings overrule PEGI ratings, so even if PEGI rates it 18+ it will still be illegal to sell the game in the UK due to the BBFC's decision.

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BBFC ratings overrule PEGI ratings, so even if PEGI rates it 18+ it will still be illegal to sell the game in the UK due to the BBFC's decision.

yes, but this is the first time it ever happened.

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I'm not a fan of censorship either, but the BBFC are actually pretty sound people. Censoring things isn't their agenda, giving things appropriate age ratings is (Not that I don't have problems with and plenty of questions about that...).

They've made a call on Manhunt 2 based on the content. I've seen a BBFC guy defend Take 2 games against bad press in the past too.

Take 2 are probably going to revel in the negative press for a while, run an appeal, tone down the violence, get it rated, and run off with a collossal sack of money.

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Take 2 are probably going to revel in the negative press for a while, run an appeal, tone down the violence, get it rated, and run off with a collossal sack of money.

Indeed. Is it too cynical to suggest that they planned it all along?

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with English translations

Manhunt 2 was originally in some other language than English?

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Oh some on brkl, let's not get caught up on petty langua:- holy shit Rodi, did you just mistakenly use the word 'censure' instead of 'censorship'?!

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But yes, it really wouldn't surprise me if Rockstar decided it'd be a great idea to take the whole controversy even further and finally ended up getting completely arsewiped. This'll probably give at least one other country fuel to get it banned there too.

The BBFC don't come across as a group who censor for no good reason, so the chances are Manhunt 2 is disturbing as fuck. Much more so than most against the ban realise, or anyone for that matter.

I mean, the fact it's on the Wii speaks for itself. ;(

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Oh some on brkl, let's not get caught up on petty langua:- holy shit Rodi, did you just mistakenly use the word 'censure' instead of 'censorship'?!

After a quick excursion to dictionary.com; yes, yes indeed. Though the word wasn't completely unsuitable here, I think? Certainly not to warrant a bolded and italicized Holy Shit?

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The BBFC don't come across as a group who censor for no good reason, so the chances are Manhunt 2 is disturbing as fuck. Much more so than most against the ban realise, or anyone for that matter.

So what has been their track record for the past 10 years? I know they haven't touched the Saw and Hostel movies, then what did they touch?

because in the 70s and 80s they banned every movie that contained the cannibalisms subject, was about a psychopath killed, or was about possession.

Every other horror movie in that time was ok, even though they were much more violent.

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They've banned hardly anything as far as I'm aware. They might have been a bit excitable in the old days, but what they did about 30 years ago is hardly a good performance indicator of today. Those guys are probably all corpses now. :fart:

Edit: Yeah, not that much at all since the early 80s.

Ultra Edit: Quite a few more if you include videos/DVDs, which are almost all programmes and not films. The reasoning behind most of them is totally understandable if you ask me, and stuff like the various hardcore hentai rape videos on there not being released seems appropriate to me.

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Has an AO rating here in North America too, if sources are to be believed. Not as big a deal, mind, but it means that essentially only specialty stores will bother to stock it and the big Wal Mart/Zellers/HBC/etc won't be selling the game.

Now, I already liked the first Manhunt and wasn't sure if they'd be able to successfully recreate the utter :wtz: feeling that the first game gave me. I've got to say, after all this BBFC/ESRB shit, I'm more into the game than I would've been. Well done to the orchestrators of this marketing ploy. (It'd be nice to not be so cynical, but fuck it. I agree with Rock Elf. Something about this really does feel planned)

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Heh, It amused me that the BBC article mentions Carmageddon as the only game previously banned. That banning turned out to be ochestrated by the game's producer for publicity (I think he sent a letter of complaint under a pseudonym).

I have fond memories of downloading the tiny tiny "crack" file that turned the blood from green to red and the zombies into pedestrians.

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oh great... now some "me too" politicians in the Netherlands had the same idea, but that is guaranteed to fail anyway (lack of laws to "ban" stuff like that).

http://www.bright.nl/pvda-aast-ook-op-verbod-van-manhunt

The party member asked the following questions to the minister of justice (I wonder if it's even his jurisdiction).

1. Are you aware the UK banned this game? [well, not completely banned yet, Take2 can still file an objection to reconsider]

2. When will Manhunt 2 be available in the Netherlands? And what is your judgment/opinion on his? [Check the release schedule idiot; Opinion on the release date of a game? odd thing to ask a minister]

3. Do you think a ban is desired? [sure... by some people it is; but some people would also prefer that the Koran would be banned]

4. What is the lawful methods to ban sadistically and extremely violent games like this in the Netherlands? [like I said previously, there are none]

5. What are the possibilities and desires to handle this on an EU level? [ask ze zjermans]

6. What are the initiatives to improve or replace the current rating system, what possibilities to restrict sales to under aged, and what raise the awareness of the dangers of violence in games? [ffs, do your research, the rating of PEGI is performed by the Dutch NICAM which also does the "kijkwijzer" rating stuff, als the game has not even been rated yet, there is nothing wrong with the rating system, or at least, it hasn't even been a point yet. The same restricts can be applied to sale of adult movies, actually, they already apply, but it's not really monitored. First, provide some solid evidence of the dangers of violent games, second, well... that's a tough one, how about public service announcements just like is done with alcoholics, fireworks, etc.]

7. What initiatives can be we except to reduce the normalization of violence in the society caused by the increasing influence of the violent screenculture? [screenculture? like film and games? has it been increasing?.. wait.. has there been influence? Sure... the whole hate and fear mongering and the terrorist and war stuff has nothing to do with violent tendencies of certain people (doesn't imply people watching violent films or playing violent games)]

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I was really surprised, when I heard the news, that this had been banned here but not in the US, where the censors are traditionally more conservative.

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It always struck me as censorship in America always seemed a bit more lenient on violence than in the UK but we're a bit more lenient with sex scenes than they are.

So the bottom line, does this game involve boobies?

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So, while we're on the subject of Manhunt, anyone got the BUMMED IN THE GOB video handy?! I just noticed YouTube doesn't have it!!

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