Ban halts play as firm postpones the launch of Manhunt2

Published on Saturday 23 June 2007 14:14

TAKE-TWO Interactive, the parent company of Edinburgh-based games developer Rockstar, has postponed the worldwide release of Manhunt2, after the game was effectively banned in Britain.

The game, developed by Rockstar's London studio in association with Rockstar North in Edinburgh, is the first to be refused a certificate by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) for ten years, and was also banned in Ireland.

In America it has been given an adults-only rating, but as neither Nintendo or Sony will allow adult content to be played on their Wii and PlayStation consoles, the company has taken the decision to postpone the launch planned for later this month. The company made the announcement yesterday, adding: "We continue to stand behind this extraordinary game."

And in a further show of support, Take Two chairman Strauss Zelnick added: "I have reviewed Manhunt2 myself. It fits squarely within the horror genre and was intended to do so.

BBFC director David Cooke this week said: "Manhunt2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing."

The BBFC ban can be appealed, although it seems likely the game will be modified.