Prime Minister’s Office responds to Manhunt 2 petition

A few months back, some adult gamers in the UK passed and signed an e-petition, asking the Prime Minister to intervene on matter of the BBFC banning Manhunt 2. Their appeal asked “the Prime Minister to Restrict the powers of the BBFC with regard to the banning of videogames.” The online petition has been closed for about a month now, and has totalled 3,006 signatures.

Just the other day, the Prime Minister’s Office has finally released a statement to address this online petition. The first thing that they establish with their response is the way that the BBFC rates the material passed to them.

As the Government explains, the ratings Board has a set of guidelines in which everything – videos, movies, games, etc. – gets passed under. The guidelines also factor in two other elements: the law and public opinion. This means that the guidelines they use aren’t rigid and fixed. It’s a case-to-case basis, all of which may depend on the times.

The reply to the e-petition continues:

The BBFC considered Manhunt 2 and concluded that, within the current guidelines, it could not be given a classification. The BBFC takes its responsibilities very seriously and it uses its powers to reject works extremely rarely. Details can be found on its website.

There is an appeals procedure which the game’s producers are apparently pursuing.

The Government is satisfied with the BBFC’s procedure and with the provisions for appeal, and will not be intervening in this process.

Firstly, props to the Government’s giving everyone the benefit of due process. And secondly, at least they aren’t totally closed to the idea of Rockstar trying to make their appeal. There may be hope just yet.

A few months back, some adult gamers in the UK passed and signed an e-petition, asking the Prime Minister to intervene on matter of the BBFC banning Manhunt 2. Their appeal asked “the Prime Minister to Restrict the powers of the BBFC with regard to the banning of videogames.” The online petition has been closed for about a month now, and has totalled 3,006 signatures.

Just the other day, the Prime Minister’s Office has finally released a statement to address this online petition. The first thing that they establish with their response is the way that the BBFC rates the material passed to them.

As the Government explains, the ratings Board has a set of guidelines in which everything – videos, movies, games, etc. – gets passed under. The guidelines also factor in two other elements: the law and public opinion. This means that the guidelines they use aren’t rigid and fixed. It’s a case-to-case basis, all of which may depend on the times.

The reply to the e-petition continues:

The BBFC considered Manhunt 2 and concluded that, within the current guidelines, it could not be given a classification. The BBFC takes its responsibilities very seriously and it uses its powers to reject works extremely rarely. Details can be found on its website.

There is an appeals procedure which the game’s producers are apparently pursuing.

The Government is satisfied with the BBFC’s procedure and with the provisions for appeal, and will not be intervening in this process.

Firstly, props to the Government’s giving everyone the benefit of due process. And secondly, at least they aren’t totally closed to the idea of Rockstar trying to make their appeal. There may be hope just yet.