Manhunt 2 to get edited UK release

[Njr Scrawl]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7296278.stm

The ban on controversial video game Manhunt 2 in the UK has been lifted and the game will now go on sale.

The Video Appeals Committee upheld an earlier decision that the game could be sold, following a nine-month battle between makers Rockstar and UK censors.

The British Board of Film Classification had taken the fight to ban the game to the High Court, saying the game "went too far".

An edited version of the title will be released with an 18 certificate.

[DKL]

Thing is...

Was this game even any good?

[Greywing]

Thing is...

Was this game even any good?

I'd lean towards 'no'. Like almost all of Rockstar's games, good or bad, it was relying on the free publicity generated by its controversial content to help it shift copies, rather than its own virtues. I'd wager that this 'edited' release is what Rockstar intended to release all along, only now they have tons of free advertising generated by the banning and the court case.

[Chuplayer]

The Video Appeals Committee upheld an earlier decision that the game could be sold, following a nine-month battle between makers Rockstar and UK censors.


UK censors? That chills me to the bone.

[Greywing]

The Video Appeals Committee upheld an earlier decision that the game could be sold, following a nine-month battle between makers Rockstar and UK censors.

UK censors? That chills me to the bone.

Why? The BBFC is just our version of the MPAA. Only difference I know of is that a movie can't bypass them and release an 'unrated' version.

[Chacranajxy]

Thing is...

Was this game even any good?

No. Apart from the controversy, this game really has no reason to be brought up in conversation ever, unless discussing potential candidates for the most mediocre game of all-time.

[Danj]

The Video Appeals Committee upheld an earlier decision that the game could be sold, following a nine-month battle between makers Rockstar and UK censors.

UK censors? That chills me to the bone.

Well technically they are called the British Board of Film Classification but really they're the British Board of Film Censorship.

[Johnny]

Just like the US release then. The censoring on that release was a joke. The death sequences are so blurred and fogged that you literally can't tell what's going on.
Luckily I have a copy of the leaked version for the PS2 but I'd still have prefered to get the death sequences in the version I paid full price for.

[drown]

Hardly a good game from what I've heard, but this is still great news. A lot of people are saying things like "who cares, this game sucks" or "why did rockstar even bother fighting the bbfc?". But what about when GTA 4, Gears of War 2, Resistance 2 or whatever comes out and the BBFC decides to refuse classification? Most gamers would no doubt be outraged. If that happened, it'd be really inconvenient if Rockstar had just quietly accepted the ban. You can't let them get away with stuff like this, you need to challenge them every single time you can, because when you ignore it their position will be that much stronger the next time a case like this comes up. So this is definitely a victory for free speech and common sense.

[Zorak]

Thing is...

Was this game even any good?

It had some good qualities, but the blurred executions were a major drawbacks. Considering the executions are one of the main attractions, it's frustrating not to be able to see what's going on. Kinda like a Skinemax movie with the naked breasts blurred out.

[Njr Scrawl]

Video games, because of their high exposure to kids despite ratings, are scrutinised the heaviest by BBFC.

The UK news each day seems to have stories of adults or teens being killed by gangs of teens/twenties (excluding soccer violence). Simulated "executions" are never going to be allowed.

Not sure if "The Godfather" & mob games were censored as well.