The revised, cut-down version of Rockstar’s Manhunt 2 that the BBFC still deems unacceptable for British eyes is the same cut that the ESRB approved for sale in the US.
So while US gorehounds get to finally play Manhunt 2 this Halloween, gamers in the UK and across Europe have to wait until Rockstar goes through the lengthy, tedious process of having to go to the Video Appeals Committee.
And while Rockstar in the UK is currently stuck in some kind of Kafka-esque nightmare of appealing to nonsensical committees about a horror game which every right-thinking person assumes should never have been banned in the first place, the BBFC has responded to recent criticism from the publisher that it favours movies over games.
A BBFC lackey told MCV today: “We don’t differentiate how harsh we are on DVD or video games – we have a duty to both under the Video Recordings Act.
“If we were more tough on games than any other medium, don’t you think we’d be banning far more titles? Manhunt 2 is the second game we have rejected in 23 years. I’d hardly call that draconian.
“DVD companies don’t complain when we reject their products. The creator of Struggle In Bondage didn’t get up in arms.
“Manhunt 2 went beyond our guidelines when it came to gross violence and we had a public duty to reject it.”
Struggle In Bondage – WTF?
So while US gorehounds get to finally play Manhunt 2 this Halloween, gamers in the UK and across Europe have to wait until Rockstar goes through the lengthy, tedious process of having to go to the Video Appeals Committee.
And while Rockstar in the UK is currently stuck in some kind of Kafka-esque nightmare of appealing to nonsensical committees about a horror game which every right-thinking person assumes should never have been banned in the first place, the BBFC has responded to recent criticism from the publisher that it favours movies over games.
A BBFC lackey told MCV today: “We don’t differentiate how harsh we are on DVD or video games – we have a duty to both under the Video Recordings Act.
“If we were more tough on games than any other medium, don’t you think we’d be banning far more titles? Manhunt 2 is the second game we have rejected in 23 years. I’d hardly call that draconian.
“DVD companies don’t complain when we reject their products. The creator of Struggle In Bondage didn’t get up in arms.
“Manhunt 2 went beyond our guidelines when it came to gross violence and we had a public duty to reject it.”
Struggle In Bondage – WTF?
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Comments
Bentley 12 Oct 2007 11:32
1/5
What a childish, patronising response from the BBFC. Has that idiot seen Wolf Creek? I saw it ages ago and it disturbs me even now; I found one scene in particular VERY upsetting... and I am no prude. But I would not censor it. However, I'd argue that that scene is far more upsetting than anything in Manhunt 2, which is a fantasy game with not particularly realistic graphics. Yet this fool reckons they are not so tough on games as movies? HE LIES. I say Rockstar release the game UNCUT with a "21" rating and a big "F**K YOU BBFC" sticker on the back.
Joji 12 Oct 2007 12:08
2/5
Ofcourse this muppet is gonna say that. I totally agree with you Bentley, about Wolf Creek. I love gorefest horrors and thrillers but some of the scenes in that creep up my spine just thinking about the film.
Notice he doesn't mention anything about Manhunt's nearest comparison Hostel 2. You could never convince me castration in Hostel 2 is fine, but in Manhunt 2 its not (while I don't favour such scenes). They have double standards and they know it. Us and Rockstar challenging them for proper answers has put the hot coals under their feet.
Maybe self rating might be an idea for Rockstar and sell the game online. By pass the retail angle and sell it through online mail order, from a warehouse in Jersey. A new adult rating for games? Good idea I think as the current system only does games so much justice.
Notice he doesn't mention anything about Manhunt's nearest comparison Hostel 2. You could never convince me castration in Hostel 2 is fine, but in Manhunt 2 its not (while I don't favour such scenes). They have double standards and they know it. Us and Rockstar challenging them for proper answers has put the hot coals under their feet.
Maybe self rating might be an idea for Rockstar and sell the game online. By pass the retail angle and sell it through online mail order, from a warehouse in Jersey. A new adult rating for games? Good idea I think as the current system only does games so much justice.
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YenRug 12 Oct 2007 12:22
3/5
Here's an idea, why not use the 18A rating that's used on porn films? Don't go the licensed premises route, though, have a strict age check of everyone at point of sale and hand over a leaflet that explains the implications, both morally and legally, about the consequences of passing the product to someone under the age of 18.
Parents can not claim ignorance, then, as to why little Timmy is playing the gorefest in his bedroom, they will be hit with the £5000 fine that the store would be hit with, instead.
Parents can not claim ignorance, then, as to why little Timmy is playing the gorefest in his bedroom, they will be hit with the £5000 fine that the store would be hit with, instead.
sparku7 12 Oct 2007 12:50
4/5
We don't differentiate on how harsh we are on DVD or video games". So how can Hostel 2, Wolf Creek etc. all be released as 18 cert and manhunt 2 gets banned???? Both these films are extremely violent and they depict 'actual' human beings being tortured and mutilated, not graphical representations as in video games. Hostel 2 also has a castration scene which is quite lengthy and extremely graphic but yet if you put that in a video game it causes an outcry and gets banned. The BBFC are contradicting themselves and the above statement is a cop-out. Look at your facts first and then give a more factual statement such as 'Yes, we do treat video games harsher than DVD releases'. The only reason we have only banned to games in 23 years is that the majority of video games are not gore or violence filled in comparison to the huge amount of horror, slasher gore films released.
actionmonkey 12 Oct 2007 14:07
5/5
The only proof we have on this judgement is that the US passed the new Manhunt 2, whilst the BBFC didn't pass it. The US almost always has much tougher censorship than the UK across the board, especially regarding sex.
This is one of the reasons that we all think that the BBFC are tougher on games than films. That and the fact that there are so few horror titles available, and as soon as anything remotely 'adult' rears it's head in video games the BBFC, Government and Daily Mail all start jumping up and down, excitedly frothing like children on space dust.
And all we want to do as adults is graphically murder some cartoons in our spare time.
And turn that console off and the cartoons come back to life!
"Look Jimmy the man's still alive, he was just pretending to get his plums removed and his head sawn in two ... Oh and you can see that he's a graphic made up of polygons and not real in any way shape or form ... of course you can, you're not stupid are you Jimmy?"
This is one of the reasons that we all think that the BBFC are tougher on games than films. That and the fact that there are so few horror titles available, and as soon as anything remotely 'adult' rears it's head in video games the BBFC, Government and Daily Mail all start jumping up and down, excitedly frothing like children on space dust.
And all we want to do as adults is graphically murder some cartoons in our spare time.
And turn that console off and the cartoons come back to life!
"Look Jimmy the man's still alive, he was just pretending to get his plums removed and his head sawn in two ... Oh and you can see that he's a graphic made up of polygons and not real in any way shape or form ... of course you can, you're not stupid are you Jimmy?"