Rockstar remains adamant, pushes through with Manhunt 2

Despite being met with criticism, Rockstar announced the sequel to the psycho-thriller game Manhunt. The company has also made it clear that it plans to stick to its word.

Bound for the PS2, the PSP, and the Wii this summer, Manhunt 2 caused a stir among industry watchers who continue to link the 2004 murder of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah to this video game. For those who can’t remember, Pakeerah was murdered by his friend, 17-year old Warren LeBlanc, in September of that year. The victim’s mother claimed that LeBlanc was “obsessed” with the slasher video game, after LeBlanc pleaded guilty in court. However, many within the gaming industry noted that the one fact that has always been left out in the whole discussion was that the police found the game had nothing to do with the murder. They had instead declared a drug-related robbery as the true motive.

A spokesperson from Rockstar also clarifies that they never intended Manhunt or Manhunt 2 to be played by minors, as it is a “great entertainment experience for fans of psychological thrillers and urban horror” which is “only appropriate for people who are old enough to play it.” See? Clear as day. Moreover, they also noted that,

We respect those who have different opinions about the horror genre and video games as a whole, but we hope they will also consider the opinions of gamers. The stories in modern video games are as diverse as the stories in books, film and television.

Rockstar submits every game to the appropriate bodies for rating and classification and in the case of Manhunt 2 it is clearly a game aimed at an adult audience and we anticipate that it will receive an 18+ rating.

So remember, parents: Always read the ratings and know what it means. AWARENESS IS THE KEY!

Despite being met with criticism, Rockstar announced the sequel to the psycho-thriller game Manhunt. The company has also made it clear that it plans to stick to its word.

Bound for the PS2, the PSP, and the Wii this summer, Manhunt 2 caused a stir among industry watchers who continue to link the 2004 murder of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah to this video game. For those who can’t remember, Pakeerah was murdered by his friend, 17-year old Warren LeBlanc, in September of that year. The victim’s mother claimed that LeBlanc was “obsessed” with the slasher video game, after LeBlanc pleaded guilty in court. However, many within the gaming industry noted that the one fact that has always been left out in the whole discussion was that the police found the game had nothing to do with the murder. They had instead declared a drug-related robbery as the true motive.

A spokesperson from Rockstar also clarifies that they never intended Manhunt or Manhunt 2 to be played by minors, as it is a “great entertainment experience for fans of psychological thrillers and urban horror” which is “only appropriate for people who are old enough to play it.” See? Clear as day. Moreover, they also noted that,

We respect those who have different opinions about the horror genre and video games as a whole, but we hope they will also consider the opinions of gamers. The stories in modern video games are as diverse as the stories in books, film and television.

Rockstar submits every game to the appropriate bodies for rating and classification and in the case of Manhunt 2 it is clearly a game aimed at an adult audience and we anticipate that it will receive an 18+ rating.

So remember, parents: Always read the ratings and know what it means. AWARENESS IS THE KEY!