ESRB refuses to explain Manhunt 2's re-rating
- Posted August 29th, 2007 at 04:39 EDT by Mike Harradence
- 13 Comments
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) has this week refused to divulge the reason behind the firm's decision to re-rate Manhunt 2, despite recent remands from California State Senator Leland Yee.
Rockstar’s controversial title was originally issued an AO (Adults Only) rating back in June of this year, effectively banning the game from release in North America. The ESRB has since announced that it has re-issued the game with an M (Mature) rating, allowing it to be sold to consumers of ages 17 and over. The new rating includes the descriptors, "Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content and Use of Drugs."
However, Yee, a strong opposer to the handling of mature-rated content in North America last week demanded the company disclose it’s reasoning behind the re-rating.
"The ESRB and Rockstar should end this game of secrecy by immediately unveiling what content has been changed to grant the new rating and what correspondence occurred between the ESRB and Rockstar to come to this conclusion," said Yee.
Despite this, ESRB President, Patricia Vance later responded: "Publishers submit game content to the ESRB on a confidential basis," adding, "It is simply not our place to reveal specific details about the content we have reviewed, particularly when it involves a product yet to be released.
“What can be said is that the changes that were made to the game, including the depictions themselves and the context in which those depictions were presented, were sufficient to warrant the assignment of an M (Mature 17+) rating by our raters."
Manhunt 2 will now go on sale in North America for PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo Wii from October 31.
Source: Next-gen.biz
Comments
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gorillanuts
- 5:32am BST - August 29th, 2007
- 1
Just as long as the game comes out and i can buy it, i dont care.
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djrussell |
djrussell89- 7:32am BST - August 29th, 2007
- 3
They probebly put some underwear on a stripper, reduced the blood splatter effects and took out some naughty language.. i think thats all it must have been, just a few things that were really out there that they needed to tone down. Anyway, hope to hear news soon about the European/Australian release of this game... if it got an M in America then the revised version should be suitable for retail everywhere else.
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Morganator |
Hero_Nakamoura- 8:21am BST - August 29th, 2007
- 5
I have to agree with Jeffro on this one. I don't like buying revised versions of games just because a few people can't handle the content that was originally in the game. I understand the need to keep small children away from content such as this but to keep this content from adults, teens and even tweens, says more about society as a whole than the people who make the game or even purchase it. I think that censoring any content from the general public is wrong and unconstitutional. Why should I or anyone else suffer just because of a few people with weak constitutions and minds? Then there is the whole business side of the situation and that is the interuptions and obstruction of business just to satisfy the heads of our government. Holding a game back from release just by giving it an AO rating and then making the developers jump all these hoops to obtain an M17+ rating should be considered as a civil and criminal offense by the ESRB and the area of government which controls this aspect of ourdaily lives. I think the government and the ESRB have effectively ruined another game that could have been so much better had they allowed it to be marketed and sold as is. Sometimes I feel there is more freedom in a dictatorship than in a democracy. It's a shame really.
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Dragon-slayer87 |
Dragon-Slayer87- 9:54am BST - August 29th, 2007
- 8
I can't believe that the game has to be censored in the EU, just because some people in the North America can't handle Horror games, or other games, where Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Sexual Content and Use of Drugs are included... I have not seen a game or tv-show here in Denmark that have been censored, like it has happen in the North America.....
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RagingStorm |
RagingStormX- 10:07am BST - August 29th, 2007
- 9
Well I for one will not be buying it. I think that its stupid to have an AO rating when Sony won't allow it to be released on their console (I can understand nintendo's consern...their console is mainly for children)....When the whole "hot coffee" issue came up with San Andreas, the rating was changed to AO from M and it was still allowed to be played on the PS2. The only thing was that certain stores that do not sell any adult content (Toy R' Us for example) had to take the game down off of their shelves. My money was set aside for the un-edited version...this has moved it self as a download or borrowed title for me.
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PS3-The Ultimate Machine
- 10:31am BST - August 29th, 2007
- 10
AO ratings never work out.Why even have that rating for console games.
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se7enthsign |
Se7enthSign- 11:14am BST - August 29th, 2007
- 11
Explanation: Somebody in Japan wrote a big fat check, and somebody in the US cashed it. The game did not change but the rating magically did.
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OneManArmy
- 6:35am BST - September 1st, 2007
- 12
Well, happy days I guess. Though I really hope that they haven't cut down on the gore or blood. I thought the only thing that would justify an AO rating was sexual content. Banning it because of violence or gore is stupid...
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