News > Making Gamers Cry: Manhunt Suspended
June 22, 2007
Amidst all the controversy surrounding Rockstar's Manhunt 2, parent company Take-Two Interactive has decided to suspend distribution of the game. This means that the less-than-a-month-away July 10th release date is out of the picture, and that the game may never be released at all. The official word:
"Take-Two Interactive Software has temporarily suspended plans to distribute Manhunt 2 for the Wii or PlayStation platforms while it reviews its options with regard to the recent decisions made by the British Board of Film Classification and Entertainment Software Rating Board," a representative told GameSpot. "We continue to stand behind this extraordinary game. We believe in freedom of creative expression, as well as responsible marketing, both of which are essential to our business of making great entertainment."
So...release it.
Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as my words might suggest. Nintendo and Sony both stand by a policy that no AO rated games may be released on their respective consoles, and it just so happens that the game was in development for the Wii and the PS2.
To release the game in its current form, Take-Two would have to port the title and do a smaller scale release on the Xbox 360, or even the PC - or they could fight the rating. Other options include modifying the game's content (removing Wii-specific gesture-based controls?) or simply canning it.
Let's hope they don't go with the latter.
*Eddie R Inzauto - Senior Editor, GameWad.com
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