BBFC rejects revised Manhunt 2

British Board of Film Classification denies a rating to the amended version of Rockstar Games' horror title, which is set to be released in the US October 31.

While an amended version of Manhunt 2 has now been cleared for release in North America after it was given an M for Mature rating by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, British gamers are still out of luck.

The British Board of Film Classification today announced that a revised version of the game was recently submitted for assessment, after the original became only the second game in the country to be banned.

The original version of Manhunt 2, which was due out on July 13, was denied a classification in June due to its "unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone," effectively banning the title in the UK. The Irish Film Censor's Office followed suit, and the game was also given an AO for Adults Only rating in the States. The AO rating also works as a ban, since both Sony and Nintendo refuse to allow AO-rated games on their systems.

Rockstar Games is currently appealing the UK ban on the original game, although this appeal was suspended while the board considered the new version.

BBFC director David Cooke said that the changes that were made to the game "did not go far enough." He said in a statement, "The impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient. There has been a reduction in the visual detail in some of the 'execution kills,' but in others, they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature."

Cooke added that the board had made suggestions for further changes to the game, but these were ignored. The title has been rejected on two platforms--presumably the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii, although a PlayStation Portable version is also planned. Rockstar has the right to appeal this decision alongside its appeal against the original ban.

Rockstar representatives had not returned calls for comment as of press time.

253 Comments

  • Yokuz1166

    Posted Nov 20, 2007 1:08 pm PT

    Grow some BALLS and let the kids play!

  • berg666

    Posted Oct 26, 2007 5:25 am PT

    what if the didn't cencor it?

    apparently it's easier to put things into the games then clean it up afterwards - and to have new cencored version out in few months... must be hard work, I mean they can't make game for 2 years and then chop something off without properly thinking about what they are doing - does this change gameplay, does this change the visual style, does this cutscene is important story wise etc etc etc

    they might have easily done way over the top version to just get the original ban, then wait for a bit and send them actual version that they always intended to release.

    not saying they did it, but how many people want this game now? even I picked up Manhunt 1 again, I had it for ages and never even finished first level hehe...

  • iamfudge

    Posted Oct 24, 2007 3:27 am PT

    the hell with the bbfc

  • PIKA740

    Posted Oct 19, 2007 4:26 am PT

    Now I'm starting to hate the BBFC.

  • knoxs

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 3:31 pm PT

    I think the BBFC has some kind of reason, even with the edited version of the game it´s still morbid, i already have the game here in venezuela (in ur face, long live piracy on VG) and im 15 years old, its supposed to be an M rating, 18 years or older, if i got the game an 8 year old can get it too. Still there are lots of under-age ppl who want the game, and they should get it becuz u dont actaully HAVE to be 18 years old to be "mature". The BBFC *should* approve the game with an M rating, or at least they should ask the ESRB, for a higer rating for the game, that'll suck but hey, at least if we send someone to buy we can have it. XD

  • razu_gamer

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 6:32 am PT

    ebay for the world.

  • madmalz

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 6:18 am PT

    This really makes you wonder if they even revised it at all or if they just bribed the ESRB. It seemed kind of suspicious that they wouldn't say what they actually did to get the game re-classified.

    Oh, and it was the murder victim that had been playing Manhunt, not the murderer.

  • wedgewarrior

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 4:57 am PT

    basically this has only happend because of some stupid rude boy from london played manhunt 1 to much, and ended up brutally murdering someone like off manhunt, why should we not be allowed to play this game because of some stupid fu**ked up freak who thinks video games are real

  • jaymib

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 4:24 am PT

    What a load of rubbish. someone need to tell BBFC off. There lets violence films like saw 3 out, but o no, we can't let a game out. thats it, i'll still be playing this game at the end of the day as i will just get it from another European country is is letting the game come out, so up yours BBFC!!!

  • jimmy-fly

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 12:15 am PT

    aw come on wasnt this game actually done last spring?

  • SirFatalChaos

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 7:07 pm PT

    I want VIOLENCE

  • JDWolfie

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 3:46 pm PT

    British people will still buy it off on ebay.

  • jackanderson

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 12:13 pm PT

    Right, I'm importing.

  • Rockman_00X

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 9:39 am PT

    @YukoAsho

    I know all about multicultural orgins of america, it's just that the Brits were the first, I know the Vikings were here before anyone landed on any rock, to "modernize" this side of the globe. I myself am of Spanish decendance and know how I got here. A buddy of mine is also living proof that the Germans were in Mexico during the colonization too. All I'm saying, is that the Brits were the main influence in the founding of our country and its laws. And that's why we have the laws that we have right now.

  • ChickenHounk911

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 9:04 am PT

    Even if the US gets this game, it's still the slightly 'censored' version. This sucks! I want the version that they had envisioned in the first place, not the versions they had to change it into just to get released. Oh well... I think I will maybe rent this one, thats about it.

  • ihma

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 6:08 am PT

    "If parents do their jobs, kids don't play Manhunt 2."
    lol most parents to understand games so they dont even look at them
    doesnt help that when they go to buy the game they never notice the rating and since they are clearly adults stores wont ask for ID to tip them off that this might not be something you want a 7y/o playing

  • ScottEFresh

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 5:14 am PT

    suckers

  • Renpatsu

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 3:26 am PT

    A lot of people are saying what's the point to playing this game as it is 'essentially just killing'... personally I'd just like to see it for myself instead of being fed rumours and assumptions from other gamers (and people in general) who haven't played the game yet.
    Edit: I was never a fan of the first Manhunt anyway =\

  • mier2003

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 2:44 am PT

    I kind of agree with him. I mean what exactly is the point to Manhunt besides killing to be killing? The only reason I see that these type games are even made is to try and push the envelope. I don't think I would go as far as saying that games make people kill though. Too many contributing factors there.

  • lotsofgunfire

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 2:27 am PT

    some1 hates the stealth/action genre

  • Da_Bacon_master

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 1:37 am PT

    see..thats the reason idiots like Sil_Musashi say crap like that and thats why they belive that games make people kill..good on ya mate..

  • sil_musashi

    Posted Oct 9, 2007 12:01 am PT

    There is no point to buy this game. What is really interesting in Manhunt? Man... if you like killing people for fun. Why don't you just find some police and fight them. I bet Manhunt fans will have fun in the REAL jail.

  • mier2003

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 11:56 pm PT

    Yuko I agree with you. I don't trust our government in the slightest. If it were up to me they wouldn't be in charge of the drive thru lane at the local McDonalds.

  • axia_777

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 11:42 pm PT

    "YukoAsho
    That being said, The Anarchist's Cookbook is not speech. It is an instructional manual for how to make items items used in terrorist activities. Nothing more."

    In America is protected by Freedom of Speech.

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 11:19 pm PT

    Rockman, good job obersimplifying Americans' origians. The original revolutionaries were from British colonies, but many of those colonies had been originally taken from other nations: Spain, Portugal, Germany, etc. The US was multicultural from the beginning, and we've made a hell of a lot more progress in equality than Britain ever will.

  • Zerosumgame

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 11:16 pm PT

    bad education is not welcomed afterall, they did the right thing to reject it like a virus, only prevention can save the world from such nonsense piece of entertainment.

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 11:16 pm PT

    mier - That's where I disagree. Particularly in this country, I wouldn't dare trust the government to make anything near a sensible decision on content. Knowing this group, Passion of the Christ would be a G movie and Da Vinci Code would be banned. That's the reason the 1st amendment exists. One minute they're banning Manhunt, the next they're banning KotoR.

    That being said, The Anarchist's Cookbook is not speech. It is an instructional manual for how to make items items used in terrorist activities. Nothing more.

  • Rockman_00X

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 11:09 pm PT

    For a country that has a wider political spectrum than we do, they're sure acting like babies when it comes to stuff like this. And for our country who claims to be different, it's obvious to see where our American laws come from. To both the U.S. and England, it's parents who should set rules, not beareaucrats who use laws to mask crappy parenting.

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 11:09 pm PT

    While it's not a GOOD thing per se that the BBFC continues to refuse classification, at least they're sticking to their own guidelines. And really, they're a lot more lenient than SOME countries (hi Germany & Austrailia). Considering only this and Carmageddon got the ban hammer (and Carmageddon's got overturned on appeal for an uncut version).

  • mier2003

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 10:39 pm PT

    The problem axia is that the rules in place DO NOT work. Do you know how many times I have seen kids at the movies jump from one movie to the next just so they can see an R rated flick? I know of kids now that go to a friend's house to play the M rated game because their parents won't let them have it. I would never dream of thought control, however, censorship is not so slippery a slope depending on the subject matter involved. Once again you come up with the phrase it is the parents job and not society blah blah blah. Nobody ever said for society to raise their children. And on the subject of that particular book...I wonder why the boy is under arrest. You know full well the information that it contains. These aren't the peaceful times anymore and people have no need these days of possessing literature of that nature. Freedoms only go so far else we would be back in the middle ages putting people on the guillotine again.

  • L_N

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 10:24 pm PT

    Its so stupid how they can ban things like this. If the person is old enough isn't it up to them what they buy?

  • AvIdGaMeR444

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 9:45 pm PT

    Rockstar knew full well what they needed to do to get the M-rating. They haven't made enough changes to the game apparently. I like RockStar's games, but let's not kid ourselves. They don't have a great track record with the ESRB at all.

  • Mattyrock

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 9:33 pm PT

    Jeez the UK is tough...

    The OFLC is harder! Let me tell ya...

  • finaleve

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 8:21 pm PT

    I have to say that no matter what, society itself will be its own downfall.

    The media itself is thrown about by business men. Those business men want money, and to make money, they need to give that extra edge. People would take the edge and see how far it goes, and if they like it, they'll want more. So they'll throw another edgy thing out to get more going. It's a constant. And if someone doesn't like it, they'll scream first amendment and thats that. However, TV and movies are getting off easier because they're rating boards have been around longer than the ESRB, but people are starting to catch on that maybe those fields aren't as effective as they once thought.

    It's going to take a lot of time, but eve then we won't be perfect.

  • Andy639_basic

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 7:15 pm PT

    Dear Great Britain: You don't get to mock the US anymore. Please stop being ridiculous. If parents do their jobs, kids don't play Manhunt 2. It's as simple as that. The government should not be planing nanny.

  • axia_777

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 6:48 pm PT

    mier2003, moral responsibility is to be taught by parents. The world has always been filled with bad stuff. That is just life. Games are rated mature for a reason. I hate the "Think of the Children" mentality. It is a slippery slope to thought control and censorship. Sure society has some resposibility to keep adult shows off of TV when kids are watching, that is only common sense. And to not let kids into movies that are rated R. And to have regulations to not let kids buy Mature rated games. But it should stop there. Banning games is like banning books. If you don't want kids to play games like "Man Hunt 2" don't ever let them read "Lord of The Flies" or "Catcher In The Rye". Those are just as bad as any Mature rated game. And saying crap like "We should televise every beheading and pornography should be broadcast on every station." is just plain retarded. I never said anything of the sort, you did. But I stand by my words, it is the parents job, not societies, to raise the children. If you can't handle that then maybe you should not have become a parent. Banning anything is a slippery slope to fascism and censorship that should never be allowed. Where does it end? BTW, Britain just made it a crime to own the "Anarchists Cook Book". That's right, a book is now a crime in Britain. A 17 year old boy is now going to jail for owning it. See? You let these censorship happy b*stards have an inch and they will take it all.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 6:23 pm PT

    That really is a bummer. Will UK be left out of this game for good?

  • Piqui

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 6:01 pm PT

    Exactly what are the qualifications to join the ESRB and BBFC?
    By the way, good luckto everyone across the see tryin' to play this game, I really do hope it works out over there.

    But, anyways, I really want to know what are the qualifications to join...

  • zombey1333

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 5:58 pm PT

    Boohoo. Horror is all about atmosphere. Get rid of that and you've got spooty cheese.

  • Proman84

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 5:23 pm PT

    In short... FUBBFC. I think many gamers will agree that mature people should be able to decide for themselves what content is or is not appropriate for them.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 5:09 pm PT

    well, Marc Ecko's Getting Up Contents Under Pressure was banned in Australia because they thought it'd influence graffiti, and Wolfenstein 3D was banned in Germany because the enemies in the game were (something like) unconstitutional in nature (i.e. Nazis), and computer games were banned in Greece to stop online gambling; what's the world coming too?

  • MasterChief725

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 5:00 pm PT

    Man, no one will give manhunt 2 a break. I saw the videos, it isnt THAT bad, and besides, all rockstar games are fun, from that tank game, to GTA, to table tennis, so let manhunt 2 pass, and go Rockstar!

  • mier2003

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 4:24 pm PT

    Wow you are right axia. We should televise every beheading and pornography should be broadcast on every station. We should have the complete freedom to see and do whatever we please. Freedoms only go so far pal. Morality is an issue that I am afraid some people no longer care about. The line between fantasy and reality is blurred my friend. 25 years ago I didn't hear about or see half of the garbage that goes on in television, movies, music and games that you see today. It just wasn't acceptable on a moral level. Now that this stuff happens today and anyone that isn't blind is in plain view of it, everyone wants to point the finger and blame instead of taking some form of responsibility for how this has all turned out. I never said it was societies job to raise my kids. It is however societies job to curb what is an ever increasing downward spiral of society so that my job isn't so damn hard in trying to teach my kids right from wrong. I can only say to them so many times "that is wrong" and hope it gets through. If however they grow to 15 or 16 and then go on a rampage even through all I have tried to teach them I have to live with the fear of people saying, "well he was a bad parent and should have raised his child better". That is bullcrap. I don't try and regulate anyone. I just ask that people show some responsibility moral or otherwise. Is that too much to ask?

  • axia_777

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 3:48 pm PT

    If I were a British gamer right now, I would make a stand. Even if I was ALONE. You guys need to stand up and make some noise. Get to it. Otherwise these fascist A-Holes that rate and judge your games are going to keep screwing you. That is just my 2 American cents. Peace.

    "wild_world_girl

    Now they are just being stubborn - if this game was OK'd in the puritanical US, it should fly just about anywhere else in western society. Shame on them for making it personal."

    Puritanical? Have you been to America? ROFL!!! That is funny. Have you seen what is playing on TV in America lately? Puritanical it is certainly not. Our games either, nor our movies. So where did that come from? Sex and violence are everywhere and it is getting "worse" from a conservatives stand point.

    @mier2003: NO it is no societies job to raise your children. It is the parents job. I am a parent too. I raise my child to differentiate between fantasy and reality. With a good moral compass and the ability to tell what is fantasy and what is reality it will not matter what life throws at them. So stop blaming society for the failings of parents that SUCK and should have never been parents! I am not saying you suck, maybe you do, maybe you don't. But you chose to have children, now it is YOUR job to raise them, NOT OURS. And that goes for every damn parent in this world. Step up and suck it up and have some responsibility. And I am glad that we have that little thing called Freedom of Speech and Press here in America because otherwise we would be regulated by people like you and the fools in the article above.

  • mier2003

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 3:48 pm PT

    While I do see your point JackBurton, You have to have played games as long as I have to see where I am coming from. I come from way back before Atari. I grew up with gaming and have been around it since it's formation into what it is today. Fifteen years ago a game like this never would have reached the programming stage. While it is true that there has always been the slaying and killing of dragons, aliens and vampires in games, those are easily fantasy slayings as they do not exist. The killing of Nazis, well what can you say about a war game? The only other way to experience that is to join the military which few seem willing to do as they know the consequences.

    However the slaying of villains, murderers, gangs, thugs and innocents is what I have the problem with in games. I AM a parent, and while it is so easy for most people to point the finger at parents and lay blame on them, it just isn't that simple. I can only shelter my kids from so much in today's media saturated world. You can't go on the internet without seeing violence. You can't watch the news without hearing about murder, rape and torture. It has invaded the games we play and the movies that we watch. The books that we read have been penetrated by it as well.

    If I were to shelter my children the way they should be in today's society, people would start screaming about me cutting them off from the world and censoring their very lives. I wouldn't be letting them experience life in all of it's atrocities. I would be told, "they have to experience the good with the bad.".

    You see to blame just parents or any single group for that matter is just wrong. If we parents followed the course of action that most gamers suggest then the very gamers who suggested it would be ready to string us up for censorship. We just can't win. I can't be there at every friend's house when they go over. I can't sit with them every day at school to make sure they don't hear or say anything they shouldn't. I also can't be there every time they go to the mall to make sure some crazed moron doesn't hurt them.

    It is more than just the parents' responsibility to make sure their children are raised right. It is society as a whole that needs to pitch in and help. If not then it is just a tug of war that will not give either way. You can argue against that point all you like, but keep in mind, we aren't heroes from some game. We are only parents. We can only do so much.


    Oh and by the way, I see the reference in the name. That movie ROCKED.

  • McDog3

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 3:35 pm PT

    @ BuffaloBill--

    But being silent is only a step in the wrong direction. As long as people are willing to make a fuss, no matter how many or few, these issues will never be over

  • Demon-Draco

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 3:23 pm PT

    BBFC? BBFC?! Pompous cinematic-types are regulating video game ratings over there?! War on the world!

  • wild_world_girl

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 3:15 pm PT

    Now they are just being stubborn - if this game was OK'd in the puritanical US, it should fly just about anywhere else in western society. Shame on them for making it personal.

  • buffalobill

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 2:51 pm PT

    If money really talks, maybe, if this game sells poorly enough for the right reasons and continual pressure is applied to the Big 3, we may yet see a policy change and the release of AO games on consoles.

    I sincerely doubt this, however. Manhunt 2 either is or will be, arguably, the most popular, most mainstream, and most talked about AO game ever. After this, unless GTA gets slammed, we will never see a game that will be popular enough to garner this kind of widespread grassroots pressure. The heat will come off the Big 3 and everyone will go about their daily lives, playing inevitable Bioshock sequels and Halo 28, and re-releases of Gears of War in one form or another. We will realize what R* and the Big 3 already know: That petitions, and clamoring is really just sophisticated Internet circle jerking and that if they wait long enough, the masses will eventually get bored/distracted and the status quo can continue as it has and always will.

    The bottom line is, as much as I value the discourse, my friends, this is all totally fruitless and useless. Posting all caps tirades about freedom, censorship, and personal responsibility is the ultimate exercise in futility. The people in positions of power to change current policy and bring this game to light will never read any of these posts. Even if they did, they wouldn't care. We are not a fanbase of actual human people with desires and tastes, but variables in a calculation to produce the highest profit margin.

    It's sad, but the truth hurts.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 2:45 pm PT

    Still no? That seems a little strict to me. While I haven't scene the game myself(I'm sure nobody has), I think that Rockstar did put a good amount of effort into editing this game up. But I guess it is their job to be worried about this kind of stuff. I am sure no matter the rating it gets, minors will still get their hands on it and that is never good.

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