It seems the Manhunt 2 drama will not end today. Kotaku is reporting they have confirmed with Take Two the ESRB just slapped an AO (Adults Only) rating on Manhunt 2.

“The ESRB has issued an initial rating of AO (Adults Only) for Manhunt 2,” Take-Two said in a prepared statement. “We believe the process of rating videogames is to help people make informed entertainment choices and not to limit them. Manhunt 2 was created for mature audiences and we strongly believe it should receive an M (Mature) rating, aligning it with similar content created in other forms of media. We are exploring our options with regard to Manhunt 2.”

For those of you who might not know, giving a game an AO rating bars it from being sold at big retail outlets such as Wal-Mart or Target, which in turn will hugely effect it’s sales. Take Two has the option of accepting the ESRB’s rating of AO, changing the content of Manhunt 2 in order to try to get an M rating, or appeal to the Appeals Board which makes up of fellow publishers, retailers and other professionals.  As soon as we know what Take Two’s next move is, we’ll be sure to update you all.

Earlier today, the news broke out all over the internet Rockstar’s Manhunt 2 was banned from being released in the UK by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification). Upon hearing the news, Rockstar has released an official statement in response to the banning,

“We are disappointed with the recent decision by the British Board of Film Classification to refuse classification of Manhunt 2. While we respect the authority of the classification board and will abide by the rules, we emphatically disagree with this particular decision.

“Manhunt 2 is an entertainment experience for fans of psychological thrillers and horror. The subject matter of this game is in line with other mainstream entertainment choices for adult consumers.

“We respect those who have different opinions about the horror genre and video games as a whole, but we hope they will also consider the opinions of the adult gamers for whom this product is intended. We believe all products should be rated to allow the public to make informed choices about the media and art they wish to consume. The stories in modern video games are as diverse as the stories in books, film and television. The adult consumers who would play this game fully understand that it is fictional interactive entertainment and nothing more.”

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The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) announced today both the PS2 & Wii version of Rockstar’s upcoming Manhunt 2 have been banned from being released in the UK. BBFC director David Cooke had this to say about the banning,

“Rejecting a work is a very serious action and one which we do not take lightly. Where possible we try to consider cuts or, in the case of games, modifications which remove the material which contravenes the Board’s published Guidelines. In the case of Manhunt 2 this has not been possible. Manhunt 2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing. There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game.

Although the difference should not be exaggerated the fact of the game’s unrelenting focus on stalking and brutal slaying and the sheer lack of alternative pleasures on offer to the gamer, together with the different overall narrative context, contribute towards differentiating this submission from the original Manhunt game.That work was classified ‘18’ in 2003, before the BBFC’s recent games research had been undertaken, but was already at the very top end of what the Board judged to be acceptable at that category.

Against this background, the Board’s carefully considered view is that to issue a certificate to Manhunt 2, on either platform, would involve a range of unjustifiable harm risks, to both adults and minors, within the terms of the Video Recordings Act, and accordingly that its availability, even if statutorily confined to adults, would be unacceptable to the public.”

I always had a feeling Manhunt 2 was going to kick up the brutality a notch or two from the original Manhunt, but I did not expect this kind of response at all. And with the recent news of publisher Take Two’s New York office closing, this is not something they need right now.

On Wednesday, Jonathan told you about the rumors surrounding exclusive downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV on the 360.

Today, a Take Two representative told GamesIndustry.biz, “The Grand Theft Auto IV episodic content is exclusive to Xbox 360.”

This confirmation dashes any hope that PS3 owners had of downloadable content through PSN. If you have the option, I would definitely go the 360 route for this one. You can look for GTA IV on both consoles on October 19.

I’d also like to mention that Sony needs to get on the stick with downloadable content for the PS3. I love the way PlayStation Network is set up, but they’re going to need content to drive the concept.

Grand Theft Auto publisher Take Two Interactive is losing employees as they close the 2K Games office in NY and shift their staff from west to east coast. According to 1Up.com, everybody was offered the option to stay but not all will be making the move.

Sound familiar? That’s because Sony Computer Entertainment America is also losing staff due to moves. However, unlike SCEA, Take Two is taking a hit on their creative staff. So far Take Two has refused to reveal how many losses they’ve taken but several projects have already been scrapped. So far La Noire and Beaterator are still on target for release in 2008. Take Two promises “the projects written off were early works in progress, not major titles.”

In an article at Gamasutra.com, Michael Pachter, analyst for Webush Morgan says that changes are afoot for struglling publisher Take Two Interactive int he wake of recent management changes. He says that the company’s fiscal forecast isn’t as cheery as it once was and the new power players are looking to streamline business by reducing studios and playing safe in anticipating profit from upcoming game:

“We believe that new management understands what is required to turn the company’s fortunes around, and believe that they will take prudent steps to return the company to profitability. However, we believe that there are significant structural changes required in order to control costs, and believe that these changes will take more than a year to complete. On the revenue side, new management is saddled with the decisions made by the prior management for at least another year, and we do not expect new games such as The Bigs, All-Pro Football, Fantastic Four, or The Darkness to be wildly profitable.

We also think that the new management will take steps to cut costs as soon as practicable, resulting in studio closures and charge-offs for games in development.”

As Daniel posted earlier, Pachter also thinks it likely the company’s premiere title – Grand Theft Auto IV – will see some shifting of its release schedule.

Could Take Two make expectant fans wait even longer? Much of Pachter’s analysis is aimed at shareholder panic and behavior but I have to agree that many of the Take Two titles are not going to hit big this year – especially in the field of competitive sports where Electronic Arts is king. Though I personally think (read hope) The Darkness and Bioshock will do well.

We all know that Halo 3’s release later this year will reach monumental sales and will cause many a blue and white collar worker to suddenly be “sick”, but will it actually cause another AAA title to be delayed? According to analyst Michael Pachter, it actually may.

As of now, Halo 3 is set to be released on September 25, while GTA IV has a release date of October 16.

“We believe that a two-week delay would provide a reasonable gap between the launch of Halo 3 and the launch of GTA IV, and would actually help sales of both games. In addition, a delay of the ‘normal’ SKU for GTA IV by two or three weeks could allow Take-Two to maximize revenues from the $89.99 Collector’s Edition of the game by shipping that SKU on October 17, and to increase overall profitability.”

I personally don’t think Take-Two should allow the Halo 3 launch to influence it’s launch of GTA IV. I mean, we all know the majority of Xbox 360 owners will pick up Halo 3, but what about the PS3 owners or the 360 owners who don’t eat/sleep/breath Halo? I know I would want to get my hands on GTA IV as soon as possible and hope Take Two knows the sooner they get GTA IV out, the happier we’ll all be.

Take-Two Interactive is being sued by Zuffa, LLC, the company behind the UFC. Zuffa is claiming that the game developer sold copies of UFC games long after their distribution rights had ended. Take-Two was granted these rights by TDK Mediactive, which allowed them to sell UFC titles until 2005, with a 180-day grace period to unload any extra inventory. Zuffa is alleging that Take-Two sold about 26,000 copies of UFC: Sudden Impact after that period ended. In addition to this charge, Zuffa is also accusing the game developer of Cybersquatting, as they are the owners of www.ufcvideogame.com.

Love the carnival but hate carnies? Yeah, me neither. Still, if you want to play carnival games in the privacy of your own poorly ventilated home, so be it. Take-Two’s Global Star Software will be releasing the aptly titled Carnival Games sometime this year because, let’s face it, the market isn’t oversaturated with mini-games as it is. It features 25 games you barely enjoyed in the first place, including Tossing the Milk Can, Test of Strength and Alley Ball. At least this way, you won’t come home smelling of deep-fried Twinkies and horse manure.

Well, you can look for GTA fans to be opening up their wallets again. Rockstar has announced a brand-new Grand Theft Auto IV special edition. Priced at an economical $89.99, and packaged in a swanky customized Grand Theft Auto metal safety deposit box, the Special Edition is planned to launch at the same time as the PS3/XBox 360 versions of the game, which are slated for October 16 (North America) and October 19 (Europe).

What does your $89.99 buy you? Let’s take a look….

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