Manhunt 2 Gets the Go-ahead from ESRB

[Lovingwii]

Manhunt 2 Gets the Go-ahead from ESRB
Modified version earns an M rating, with PS2, PSP and Wii versions arriving October 31 in US.

Rockstar has announced that a reworked version of its controversial Manhunt 2 has been granted an M rating by the ESRB. Free of the shackles of its original AO classification, the game is currently scheduled for release in the US on Wii, PS2 and PSP this Halloween, October 31.



Sam Houser, founder and executive producer of Rockstar Games noted of the decision, "Manhunt 2 is important to us, and we're glad it can finally be appreciated as a gaming experience". He continued, "We love the horror genre. Manhunt 2 is a powerful piece of interactive story telling that is a unique video game experience. We think horror fans will love it."

In its original guise, Manhunt 2 was granted an AO rating by the ESRB, meaning that neither Sony or Nintendo would permit the game to appear on its consoles. Meanwhile, Rockstar is currently appealing the British Board of Film Classification's decision to refuse certification for the game in the UK, effectively banning it from sale in the country.

Rockstar's UK PR team were unable to comment on the status of the appeal, nor whether we can expect this reworked version of Manhunt 2 to be resubmitted to the BBFC in the near future.

Source

[brockly]

The New York Times called this one -- a slimmer, sleeker, and we can only guess happier Manhunt 2 will hit shelves, appropriately enough, on Halloween. The ESRB issued a new rating for the game, lowering the Adults Only tag to Mature, which clears the game for release.

The game's fate in Europe, where it was banned in several countries, is as yet unknown, but we expect to hear some news on that front soon.

The entire debacle, though cleared up, is still disheartening. With the number of adult gamers increasing all the time, and comparisons between game and film content demonstrating the vast difference in standards, we hope that someday, something in the system will change. For now, however, it seems publishers and developers, and indeed, all of us, are at the mercy of the ESRB and the standards of Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft.