M-rated Manhunt 2 coming on Halloween
by Kyle Orland 
{ Aug 24th 2007 at 9:55AM }
After temporarily suspending release of the AO-rated game back in June, Rockstar Games today announced a modified, M-rated version of Manhunt 2 will be release for the PS2, PSP and Wii on Oct. 31, 2007. "Manhunt 2 is important to us, and we're glad it can finally be appreciated as a gaming experience," Rockstar founder and president Sam Houser, said in a press release. "Manhunt 2 is a powerful piece of interactive story telling that is a unique video game experience. We think horror fans will love it." The original Adults Only rating was a kiss of death for the game, leading to self-imposed bans from console makers and rental houses. It's still unclear exactly what modifications were necessary to achieve the lower rating and what effect the modifications will have on on Manhunt 2 bans in England, Ireland and other countries.
Whatever effect the controversy had on the game's content, you can bet that all the drama will have a positive effect on the game's sales. Remember, 2 Live Crew's As Nasty As They Wanna Be sold over two million copies despite being patently awful, all thanks to the magic of controversy.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ALH @ Aug 24th 2007 10:00AM
sweet, the wii will get a dusting off this season after all
OrganicShadow @ Aug 24th 2007 10:09AM
I'm gonna buy it just to make up for the delay and to help their financial situation just a teeny bit. Putting my 2 cents in I guess.
@ anyone: Does anyone know why my mouse cursor flickers and disappears on the joystiq sites? If it's still it disappears, and when it's moving it flickers like crazy. Girlfriend's computer does it too.
Stupidiot @ Aug 24th 2007 10:10AM
And I thought I was the only person having this problem.
MrXBob @ Aug 24th 2007 10:15AM
It's to do with the flash ads they have on some pages.
Farseer @ Aug 24th 2007 10:22AM
Firefox with Adblock Plus. Totally the way to go.
Add-free browsing FTW.
Jacob P. @ Aug 24th 2007 10:27AM
Mine used to do that...if you aren't in full-screen, make your window bigger...that made mine quit doing it...
megaStryke @ Aug 24th 2007 10:05AM
Suck it, Thompson.
ThornedVenom @ Aug 24th 2007 3:57PM
You can't say that Thompson can really suck it because they had to modify the game from AO to M. =(
Cal @ Aug 24th 2007 6:46PM
Jack Thompson had nothing to do with Manhunt 2, IIRC.
dukeatreides4ever @ Aug 24th 2007 10:09AM
Ok this is something that goes beyond fanboyism.
We should all buy this game regardless of whether you hate Nintendo or not just to piss off Thompson.
The idiot.
baby sea tuna @ Aug 24th 2007 10:49AM
That's what I did with Bully.
UpIrons @ Aug 24th 2007 10:13AM
I will probably buy this despite my disgust with the fact that they had to change (censor) it. The real disappointment is that this was supposed to be the first great Wii game after a long drought but now that MP3 comes out Monday it kind of ruins it for Rockstar... I am sure they'll make up for it and I guarantee that someday there will be an unrated edition available one way or another. I look forward to that!
Neil Christie @ Aug 24th 2007 10:21AM
The game was refused classification in the UNITED KINGDOM, not just England. England is one quarter of the total countries which the BBFC has power over - the UK also includes Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Dan @ Aug 24th 2007 11:27AM
You mean England OWNS scotland, wales and northern Ireland... :)
Farseer @ Aug 24th 2007 10:24AM
I'm glad that the AO rating (read: banning) deadlock is finally broken. The fact that R* was forced to change the content is sad, but I can't say that they were given any other option.
I look forward to playing this.
Crono @ Aug 24th 2007 12:00PM
Even if the cut content was a bloody snuff bar where people get off on mutilation?
Look, I can understand enjoying playing a game with the concept of coming up with new and creative ways to murder people, but snuff really crosses the line. You have to be seriously messed up to enjoy that, or enjoy playing thru the part of the game that includes that.
The AO rating was appropriate for that content. If it got cut, thats all the better.
Farseer @ Aug 24th 2007 1:53PM
Honestly, I don't have an issue with what content was cut. If you like it and are an adult, then play it. If you do not like it (or are not an adult), then don't.
What I do have an issue with is the fact that an ESRB rating of AO constitutes a console ban. I think that our beloved hobby will continue to be regarded as childish as long as adult content can be banned.
therpham @ Aug 24th 2007 10:28AM
They should totally pull a Mortal Kombat on the Super Nintendo and have a cheat to unlock whatever was taken out. Of course, then it'd be Hot Coffee all over again.
samfish @ Aug 24th 2007 10:36AM
You could unlock blood on the SNES Mortal Kombat? Wuh..?
WiNG @ Aug 24th 2007 10:41AM
I'm pretty sure that was for the Genesis.
A-B-A-C-A-B-B at the title screen.
The Boo @ Aug 24th 2007 11:10AM
Game Genie bitches.
NNTPgrip @ Aug 24th 2007 11:52AM
Game Genie worked by forcibly changing a Hex value at a specific location to a different one. Anything that had a value, could be tweaked. In the case of Mortal Kombat, the "Sweat" sprite in the SNES version of the game's Hex value for the white color was replaced by the Hex value for Red. This made the "Sweat" blood, but DID NOT RESTORE THE REAL FATALITIES.
This was such a damn shame at the time. The SNES version would have been absolutely perfect. The Genesis had an awful color depth, and it showed badly for frame capture animated fighters and backgrounds. The sound had next to no sound effects(voices), which the Sega CD version fixed, but you had to wait almost a full minute (between rounds even) to load.
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 24th 2007 12:28PM
It would have been the SNES. Nintendo censored the blood and fatalities. Sega let it go on as is. This and the Nintendon't marketing branded Nintendo kiddie. That they would go above and beyond to remain family friendly.
john @ Aug 24th 2007 10:31AM
This will be a big seller especially on the Wii because it is rated M and a lot of adults will want a mature game, not to say MP3 isn't a good game. I remember being stuck with a sweaty Mortal Kombat instead of a bloody one like the Sega Genesis. I still haven't forgave Nintendo for that. I just hope parents notice the M rating on the front of the box before they buy it for little Timmy or Nintendo could face a backlash of angry parents. Who would be pissed at Nintendo for allowing such a game on a family system. Just my 2 cents.
BPM @ Aug 24th 2007 5:35PM
Oh, please. Mortal Kombat was ONE game, and you can't "forgive" them for that?
What about Mortal Kombat II? That went by completely uncensored on Super NES. And every following Mortal Kombat on Nintendo platforms.
They learned from their mistake of controlling third-party content.
TWiNKiE @ Aug 24th 2007 6:25PM
The other day, I went to window shop in EB, and I saw a little-boy, around 6 years old, telling his mom to buy San Andreas.
The kid showed his mom the box, she stared at it for a good minute, while listening to her son yabber about the fact that you can shoot guns at people, drive cars into others, and bang chicks in that game. Then I saw the guy in the store give her the speech about M rated games. She still bought it. Why? She was talking on her cellphone, that's why.
therpham @ Aug 24th 2007 10:40AM
Okay, well, I'd always thought you could since I was a wee child. Someone told me it was possible and just assumed it to be true. Apparently it wasn't, and I was lied to 13 years ago. My bad.
Mromson @ Aug 24th 2007 10:46AM
I'm not buying this game simply cause it's a censored version of the AO one.
Ska Oreo @ Aug 24th 2007 1:29PM
And that's why you're lame. All they cut out is some death sequences. Other than that, the game is the same. There is no reason why you shouldn't buy it.
baby sea tuna @ Aug 24th 2007 10:47AM
Unfortunately, Kyle, most of the people here are probably too young to remember that 2 Live Crew album, not to mention the Jack Thompson related controversy that surrounded it.
As a matter of fact, I still don't understand why they couldn't do a As Clean As They Wanna Be version of Manhunt and just sell it through the R* website. Freedom of choice...
Charron @ Aug 24th 2007 10:51AM
...because Nintendo and Sony bar licensing any AO games on their consoles. If they make a PC version, though, then it's fair game.
Charron @ Aug 24th 2007 10:52AM
...Unless I misinterpreted your comment. I'm saying why they can't release an AO version on their site.
baby sea tuna @ Aug 24th 2007 10:57AM
Yeah, you're right. I forgot about that.
mirage @ Aug 24th 2007 10:56AM
I remember As Nasty as They Wanna Be! I was 12 years old and love classics like "The F**k Shop" and "My Seven Bizzos".
I think Rockstar should take Jack Thompson and the ESRB and "Put'er in the Buck!"
Shagittarius @ Aug 24th 2007 11:06AM
I'm A Geek In Heat, I Game Without Warning
My Appetite Is Pwnage, 'cause Me So Hardcore
megaStryke @ Aug 24th 2007 11:20AM
Me love you long time.
Kye @ Aug 24th 2007 1:21PM
Sucky sucky, one dalla one dalla.
Shagittarius @ Aug 24th 2007 1:25PM
What do we get for 10 dollars?
Any VC game you want.
ANY VC game?
ANY!
jovin6 @ Aug 24th 2007 5:17PM
Half of these VC games have a back-door Trojan. The other half are developed by Microsoft. Make sure you only play the ones that crash your box.
Darrel @ Aug 24th 2007 11:21AM
To be fair, we don't know what the AO version was like in the first place, so this isn't much of an issue.
It's not like comparing a foreign film with a cut version released for the states because at least there's a chance to see what the original film was like.
In this case however, we don't know what was cut, or what made it get an AO rating in the first place, so any changes won't really affect us all.
It's like if someone changed the past with a time machine, the people of the present wouldn't know what happened.
cybereality @ Aug 24th 2007 11:28AM
Um... As Nasty as They Want To Be was a classic. "Oh me so horney... me love you long time." Don't front like you weren't down. That tape was the shiznit. Yes, I said tape.
JeffyP00 @ Aug 28th 2007 11:37AM
They should make it online aware, and then just have one of those little warnings by the ESRB rating for online games that says something like "Warning: Game Content and Experience may change online." Then just re-download the original missing content....
nightwng2000 @ Aug 24th 2007 12:51PM
Now, release the AO (uncut) version for the PC.
Personally, I have no problem with there being two difference versions. It isn't a unique idea to release two versions
It's a shame the AO version can't be done on consoles, but hey, that was the console makers' choice.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
mrbigjonstud @ Aug 24th 2007 12:21PM
awesome news.... I was hoping to get this game before the end of 2007, halloween release date seems appropriate too :)
Mo @ Aug 24th 2007 2:42PM
Finally, I have waiting for this game.
Word of the street. @ Aug 24th 2007 1:05PM
Everything Jack Thompson touches turns into gold.2M copies wow.
Sadly I hate Rockstar for this.The game is so controversial it sells like pancakes without being good,for example GTA:SA was crap really Gamespot score was way too high for the kind of game GTA:Sa is.
I'm not buying this but I might rent it.
Mysterio @ Aug 24th 2007 2:04PM
Well, finally the ESRB have come to their senses. Even though they still made them tone the game down a bit, they still worked with them to come up with a reasonable conclusion that everyone can be happy with.
And no one will even be able to 'till the difference anyways when the final retail version hits the market, as no consumers, except for the press and what not, have even played the game yet.
I'm sure it's still going to be as gory and bloody and ultra-violent as it was intended, just that it'll be toned down to a reasonable level, but more violent then Manhunt, I'm sure.
Anyways, my two cents.
mike @ Aug 24th 2007 2:43PM
so you guys are gonna buy a bad crappy game just to stick it to thompson?
MH 1 was crap, I cant believe anyone would be interested in mh2. And its not even for ps3 or 360, graphics look terrible. True graphics dont make a game, but after playing next gen for nearly 2 years now, I cant even look at games like this.
Dan @ Aug 24th 2007 3:08PM
Perhaps, although I think there were some aspects of Manhunt that made it pretty fun. Obviously I've never played MH2, but as far as I know, it's likely an improvement. The motion controls will certainly make things more interesting.
j4yx0r @ Aug 24th 2007 3:54PM
"...you can bet that all the drama will have a positive effect on the game's sales. ...As Nasty As They Wanna Be sold over two million copies... all thanks to the magic of controversy."
I don't agree. The biggest difference is that 'Nasty' eventually sold in it's unadulterated version. It was the EXACT media that spawned all that controversy. With MH2, people may be more reluctant to purchase feeling that they're getting a more watered down version of the original.
~j