Initially, Manhunt 2, developed by Rockstar, was effectively banned worldwide due to its Adults Only rating. However, the ESRB recently lowered the game’s rating from to Mature in the US, allowing its release this Halloween.
Now, officials have discovered that there is no way outlaw the sale of a videogame in the Netherlands. The laws allow for the government to prosecute retailers who sell the game to minors, but the courts cannot ban a game outright.
Hirsch Ballin, the Dutch Justice Minister, stood strong on his decision:
"The current law is based on the principle that every adult is considered capable of deciding for himself which games he wants to play, unless it contains illegal material," said Ballin.
The game will be released on October 31st, 2007 in the US but remains banned in countries including the UK and Germany.