manhunt-2 posts

The PC game market has been moving from the brick-and-mortar business model to the digital download way of doing things for the past few years. Today the official word got out that one of the most controversial games in the past few years is finally coming to the PC as a download exclusive. It's Manhunt 2, the stealth action game sequel from Rockstar Games that was first released in 2007 for the Wii and PS2.

This PC version is due out a week from today (November 6) for $29.95 on Direct2Drive. It's notable in the fact that it's an "AO" rated version of the game. It may be the uncensored version that got hit with an "AO" rating by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board when it was supposed to be released for consoles. Rockstar decided to delay the game's release and edit its content. It was eventually released, to mediocre sales and reviews, with an "M" rating in the US later in 2007. The "AO" PC version also apparently supports 3D monitors.

In 2007, Rockstar Games's stealth action game sequel Manhunt 2 got hit with an "AO" rating by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board when it was supposed to be released for various consoles. Rockstar decided to delay the game's release and edit its content. It was eventually released, to mediocre sales and reviews, with an "M" rating in the US later in 2007. In the UK, the government's ratings board tried to ban the game from being sold but that decision was finally overturned by an appeals committee in 2008.

Now get ready for the controversy to hit again as Rockstar is apparently prepping the two year old Manhunt 2 to finally be released for the PC . . and in an apparently unedited version. A post on the ESRB's latest games list shows a "Windows PC" rating of "AO" for Manhunt 2 for "Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs". There's no current listing of Manhunt 2 shipping to any retail outlets. It's possible that Rockstar will make the PC version available as an downloadable game only. Many other "AO" PC games have been released in this way in the US.

[Via Joystiq]

Vincent Scheurer, founder of business consultancy Sarassin, recently spoke on video game censorship at the Develop Conference & Expo held in Brighton. GameIndustry.biz reports that, according to Scheuer, the costs involved in Rockstar's overturning of the British Board of Film Classification's (BBFC) Manhunt 2 ban were so great, an independent developer wouldn't have been able to foot the bill.

"The costs of the Manhunt 2 ban to RockStar were massive - an independent developer would be out of business," said Scheurer. "It makes the business of making games that much harder."

During his talk, Scheurer revealed the specific reasons behind the BBFC's ban of Rockstar's execution-laden Manhunt 2. Specifically, the game's lack of humor, puzzles and, most importantly, its realism, were what caused the Rockstar title to disappear from stores. With those reasons good enough to prevent players from experiencing Manhunt 2, could a BioShock 2 ban be out of the question?

Not if you ask Scheurer. "The next game to be banned could be BioShock 2, and then where would we be?" Scheurer then lauded Tiga for speaking out against the ban, realizing that more than just Manhunt 2 was on the line: today Manhunt 2... tomorrow, BioShock?