Take-Two and Rockstar Respond to Bans on Manhunt 2: “A Fine Piece of Art”

Yesterday was a bad day for Manhunt 2 and it’s supporters. Following news that it had received the AO (”Adults Only”) rating from the ESRB, countries and retailers alike began to express their intentions to disallow the game’s sale. The most damning news however came from Sony and Nintendo who announced their strict policy of not permitting games with an “AO” rating on their consoles. Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take Two, has stated that Manhunt 2 has his full support:

“The Rockstar team has come up with a game that fits squarely within the horror genre and was intended to do so. It brings a unique, formerly unheard of cinematic quality to interactive entertainment, and is also a fine piece of art.”

The developer, Rockstar, also released a statement concerning the British Board of Film Classification’s (BBFC) refusal to even give the game a rating:

“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 videogames 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.”

No word however on what they’re going to actually do with the game though, considering it was developed specifically for the Wii and PS2. Now it seems the financially beleaguered Take Two is stuck between a rock and hard place; they either must go through the costly process of censoring their game or else release it to a limited market with no chance for commercial success. I love having my morals chosen for me.