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iVirtua Community (UK) learnt from an internal BBFC Source on Friday.
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 gamecould be sold, following a nine-month battle between makers Rockstarand 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.<!-- E SF --> The game was first banned in June 2007 and an edited version of the game was later rejected by the BBFC.
David Cooke, director of the BBFC said: "As I have saidpreviously, we never take rejection decisions lightly, and they alwaysinvolve a complex balance of considerations.
BBFC Interview:
"We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial reviewchallenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thoroughexamination, that it posed a real potential harm risk.
"However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised itsindependent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision,and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an 18certificate to the game."
Developers Rockstar Games has always maintained that thecontent of Manhunt 2 is no different from other 18-rated entertainmentproducts, such as the film series Saw.
In a statement, the company said: "We are pleased that the VAChas reaffirmed its decision recognizing that Manhunt 2 is well withinthe bounds established by other 18+ rated entertainment.
"Rockstar Games is committed to making great interactiveentertainment, while also marketing our products responsibly andsupporting an effective rating system."
Manhunt 2: We can almost taste its UK arrival.
Analysis:
Video Appeals Committee upholds Rockstar's appeal against BBFC ban
The Video Appeals Committee has upheld its original decision toaccept the appeal made by Rockstar following last year's refusal by theBBFC to grant Manhunt 2 a certificate in the UK.
That means that the game can now go on sale in the UK - nine months after the original rejection by the BBFC last June.
Rockstar subsequently appealed that decision, and at a hearing bythe Video Appeals Committee at the end of November saw a four-to-threedecision in favour of upholding that appeal.
However, the BBFC then appealed that decision in the High Court,which agreed that the basis for the VAC's decision was flawed, andasked it to reconsider - effectively blocking the title from sale oncemore.
But today the VAC has announced that the result of itsreconsideration on the Manhunt 2 matter is the same as previously - afour-to-three decision in favour of Rockstar.
In view of that the BBFC board has released a statement advisingthat the game has been rated '18' in the UK, and that furtherchallenges to the VAC's decision will not realistically yield anyresults.
"As I have said previously, we never take rejection decisionslightly, and they always involve a complex balance of considerations,"said David Cooke, BBFC director.
"We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial reviewchallenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thoroughexamination, that it posed a real potential harm risk.
"However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised itsindependent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision,and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an '18'certificate to the game."
Manhunt 2 was originally banned in the US, but was later allowed togo on sale with a Mature rating after the developer made some cuts tocontent - cuts which the BBFC rejected.
gamesIndustry.biz:
Quote:
Developer pleased with the VAC's reaffirmed decision to allow game's release
Following the earlier newsthat Video Appeals Committee had reaffirmed its decision regarding therelease of Manhunt 2, and the BBFC's admission that further action onits part was likely to yield realistic results, Rockstar is now workingtowards a new release date for the title in the UK.
"We are pleased that the VAC has reaffirmed its decision recognizingthat Manhunt 2 is well within the bounds established by other 18-plusrated entertainment," a company statement read.
"Rockstar Games is committed to making great interactiveentertainment, while also marketing our products responsibly andsupporting an effective rating system."
The version of the game to be released in the UK has been confirmedas the same one currently available in the US under a Mature rating -the version which was rejected by the BBFC the second time around.
A Rockstar spokesperson told GamesIndustry.biz that due tothe news of the VAC's decision only breaking earlier today, no officialdecision had yet been made on a release date, but discussions wereexpected to take place shortly.
UK stores have not taken delivery of stock in anticipation of any decision, so the title will not hit the shelves immediately.
Summary:
The Video Appeals Committee (VAC) this week ruled that the slashergame must be granted an 18 rating, clearing the way for the title to besold to buyers of that age or above. The game’s developer, Rockstar, has been wrangling with the BritishBoard of Film Classification (BBFC) for months over whether the titleis too gory to be released. The BBFC believes Manhunt 2 istoo violent to be safely played by children or "vulnerable adults", soshould not be allowed on sale at all. The organisation took its fightto the VAC and, later, to the English High Court in order to get itsway.
A spokeswoman for the BBFC told iVirtua Community (UK) today that, unsurprisingly, the body doesn’t agree with the final ruling, but that there is nothing more it can do. Rockstar said that the VAC’s final decision recognises that “Manhunt 2 is well within the bounds established by other 18-rated entertainment”. The game is already available in the US, where it carries a Mature rating, marking it as suitable for players aged 17 or over. It’s not yet known when the game will hit UK shops.
'Sadistic' game cleared for release The Press Association - Mar 15, 2008
A"sadistic" video game banned because of its portrayal of extremeviolence has been cleared for release. Manhunt 2 was refused acertificate by censors ...
Banned 'sadistic' video game cleared for adults only Guardian, UK - Mar 14, 2008
Acontroversial video game, banned for being "sadistic, brutal andbleak", has finally been granted a certificate after a nine-month courtbattle. ...
Ban on 'sadistic' video game overturned Times Online, UK - Mar 14, 2008
Theban on a controversial computer game which was refused release in theUK for being "unremittingly bleak, callous and sadistic" has beenoverturned. ... Manhunt 2 Finally Receives UK Rating Wired News - Mar 14, 2008
BySusan Arendt March 14, 2008 | 10:17:18 AMCategories: Console Games It'sbeen a long time coming, but Manhunt 2 has finally received a ratingfrom the ...
Government stresses no evidence of link between videogames and real life violence The UK government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport has told GamesIndustry.biz that it has no plans at the moment to intervene in the planned release of Manhunt 2 in the UK. "The classification of Manhunt 2 is a matter for the BBFC and theVideo Appeals Committee," said a spokesperson, after today's news thatthe VAC had reaffirmed its decision to back Rockstar in an appeal over the BBFC's refusal to certify the game. "It is important to note that there is no conclusive evidence of anylink between playing computer games and violent behaviour in reallife," the spokesperson continued. "Our concern is to make sure thatinappropriate material is kept away from children. "The Prime Minister asked Dr Tanya Byron to lead a review to assessthe effectiveness and adequacy of existing measures to help preventchildren from being exposed to harmful or inappropriate material invideogames and on the internet, and to make recommendations forimprovements or additional action. "Dr Byron's review will be published shortly and Ministers will give careful consideration to any recommendations then." A CMS Select Committee is also looking into violence in videogamesand on the internet, while the Prime Minister recently met withanti-games campaigner Keith Vaz MP, and the mother of Stefan Pakeerah,a teenager whose murder in 2004 is often wrongly linked to the originalManhunt title.
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