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Manhunt 2 M Rating Shrouded In Mystery

The ESRB has downgraded Manhunt 2′s rating from Adult Only to Mature after Rockstar submitted an edited version. Various groups are clamouring for the ESRB’s thinking and information about what was altered to be revealed, they’re staying tight lipped about the whole affair. This has inevitably led to various conspiracy theories flying around the internet regarding what really happened.

The ESRB has released a statement, saying:

“Publishers submit game content to the ESRB on a confidential basis. It is simply not our place to reveal specific details about the content we have reviewed, particularly when it involves a product yet to be released.”

Rockstar has said that the rating change came about due to many small changes and not the wholesale cutting of large portions of the game, which was an outcome looked for by various campaign groups. The problem is that we’ll probably never know. I personally may never get to play the game (unless I get an NTSC console and TV to hook it up to and then the US version of the game) as the BBFC has refused the game a rating at all and their appeals process has proven to be long winded and nigh on interminable in the past.

Ars Technica is overly optimistic when it wonders if the changes will be enough to satisfy gamings most fanatical opponents, of course it won’t. These people will blame gaming for something even if it wasn’t as gory and violence ridden as Manhunt 2. They’re simply looking for a scapegoat for problems which are difficult to solve, or even understand. Gaming is the current holder of that dubious honour, give it a few years and it’ll be something else which has got their back up.
Manhunt 2 is due for release in the US on October 31st. Who knows when it’ll be out over here?
(From Ars Technica.)