BBFC responds to Rockstar’s statement on Manhunt 2 ban

When the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) rejected the revisions made to Manhunt 2 (PS2, PSP, Wii) earlier this week, Rockstar Games gave a statement. Rockstar had called the BBFC’s decision unacceptable.

Now, authorities from the BBFC are defending their decision on banning the game, and said that the required changes they sanctioned against Rockstar “had not gone far enough.” They said that the new version was still identical to the one that originally granted the game a Mature rating by the ESRB last August.

Because of this, European gamers won’t be seeing this gory game reach their shores this October. In defense to their verdict, Rockstar claimed that the BBFC treat adult DVD releases as well as horror films more favorably than violent video games.

The games publishing company stated that the “freedom” enjoyed by the DVD media far exceeded that of the video games genre. BBFC spokesperson Sue Clark, however, countered this by saying:

If we were more tough on games than any other medium, don’t you think we’d be banning far more titles? Manhunt 2 is the second game we have rejected in 23 years. I’d hardly call that draconian.

DVD companies don’t complain when we reject their products. The creator of the Struggle In Bondage didn’t get up in arms. Manhunt 2 went beyond our guidelines when it came to gross violence and we had a public duty to reject it.

Rockstar is still hoping to gain the favor of the Video Appeals Committee, which is scheduled to hear the company’s plea later this year.

Buy: [Manhunt 2 (PSP)]
Buy: [Manhunt 2 (Wii)]

When the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) rejected the revisions made to Manhunt 2 (PS2, PSP, Wii) earlier this week, Rockstar Games gave a statement. Rockstar had called the BBFC’s decision unacceptable.

Now, authorities from the BBFC are defending their decision on banning the game, and said that the required changes they sanctioned against Rockstar “had not gone far enough.” They said that the new version was still identical to the one that originally granted the game a Mature rating by the ESRB last August.

Because of this, European gamers won’t be seeing this gory game reach their shores this October. In defense to their verdict, Rockstar claimed that the BBFC treat adult DVD releases as well as horror films more favorably than violent video games.

The games publishing company stated that the “freedom” enjoyed by the DVD media far exceeded that of the video games genre. BBFC spokesperson Sue Clark, however, countered this by saying:

If we were more tough on games than any other medium, don’t you think we’d be banning far more titles? Manhunt 2 is the second game we have rejected in 23 years. I’d hardly call that draconian.

DVD companies don’t complain when we reject their products. The creator of the Struggle In Bondage didn’t get up in arms. Manhunt 2 went beyond our guidelines when it came to gross violence and we had a public duty to reject it.

Rockstar is still hoping to gain the favor of the Video Appeals Committee, which is scheduled to hear the company’s plea later this year.

Buy: [Manhunt 2 (PSP)]
Buy: [Manhunt 2 (Wii)]