New York (NY) - With a statewide ban in the UK and an Adults Only rating from the US ratings board, Rockstar has temporarily suspended the game from being released anywhere.

Earlier this week, the UK deemed Manhunt 2 was too violent for the public and refused to give its seal of approval, effectively banning the title in Europe.

Meanwhile, in the US, it seems the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) wanted to give the game an "AO" rating, which means virtually all retailers would not sell it.  It's also believed this would make it the first mainstram US game to be given that rating because of violence.

Rockstar is also the name behind the most well-known ESRB scandal, when gamers unlocked hidden scenes in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City that were never meant to be seen.  This caused stores to remove all copies of the game, the ESRB changed its Mature rating to AO, and Rockstar faced a huge legal controversy.

"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," said Rockstar in a statement.

The game was planned for the Wii, PS2, and PSP next month.  Now the company says it "has temporarily suspended plans to distribute Manhunt 2 for the Wii and PlayStation platforms while it reviews its options with regard to the recent decisions made by the BBFC and ESRB."

They would sell more with an AO rating.

Jun 22, 2007 10:54     

People would buy it just because of that.
James Jones report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

who cares about rating.. why not sell it?

Jun 22, 2007 11:54     

why would the stores not sell that product with an ao rating? that makes no sense. there are PLENTY of adult gamers to buy games like this one.
Erich report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Correction

Jun 22, 2007 12:01     

"Rockstar is also the name behind the most well-known ESRB scandal, when gamers unlocked hidden scenes in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City that were never meant to be seen." It was Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Seriously, you people need to pay attention. Don't post a news story if you can't even get the little details right.
Coyote report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Many retailers have policies against selling AO gam...

Jun 22, 2007 12:36     

Many retailers have policies against selling AO games. If retailers like Best Buy or Circuit City refuse to sell the title and its hard to find whats the point in releasing it?
John Doe report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

How could they possibly?

Jun 22, 2007 13:04     

There is no way they would be able to sell more copies of this game if it had an AO rating. Do the math people, really! With 95% of their points of distribution gone it would be mathematically impossible.
6sringer68 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

AO rating

Jun 22, 2007 13:08     

James the games AO rating would actually prevent it from being sold. many retailers such as walmart have policies against selling videogames with AO ratings. Sony and Nintendo who the game was being released for also has a policy NOT to license any games with AO ratings. this is a great article discussing the censorship in videogames in response to this ban on Manhunt http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26012 very good read

09F9 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

I suspect...

Jun 22, 2007 15:18     

That Jack Thompson did a little happy dance the very moment this news rolled in.
Eddie report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

idiotic

Jun 22, 2007 15:21     

This entire situation makes me mad. Why do countries and ratings boards (MPAA comes to mind) insist on limiting consumer choices? I really can't understand how they think that they know what people want more that the people themselves. Its so f***ing simple: IF PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH A THE CONTENT THEY WON'T BUY IT, BECAUSE OF THIS THERE IS NO NEED TO BAN ANY MEDIA. Also, why do major retailers not sell games with an AO rating? Just don't sell them to kids and nobody will care if you sell them. This is just one more example of why I hate the US and social conservatives in general. So called "Morality" pisses me off.

gm0n3y report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

re: idiotic

Jun 22, 2007 17:14     

The rating system has nothing to do with limiting choice. The whole point is to give someone an idea of what they are getting. The majority of this result has little to do with any governement. The biggest reason is the retailers and they choose not to sell AO rating things for a variety of reasons. Given AO is usually used for porn, but its not something most companies want to deal with. It also depends a lot on their workforce. You can't put someone that can't buy something in charge of controlling that item. Most of the major retailers hire a lot of high school students that wouldn't be allowed to buy the game, but they would be the same people stocking the game, giving it to customers and running it through the registers. There are a number of places to buy AO content, but very few of them are in the business of distrubuting console games. I also don't see the point in hating the US for this since they weren't even the ones to ban the game. This all comes down to business public relations.

Erl report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

retailers

Jun 22, 2007 17:41     

I imagine as a software retailer, there's probably a lot of red tape around selling AO games, making them not worth selling as a retailer. With an adult rating, can they even have it one the shelf where a kid may look at the box? In the case of large stores like Walmart who want to have a "family" feel too them, they would never sell something like this, just as they'd never sell porn.
Rob report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Wrong game

Jun 22, 2007 23:51     

I hope you know it wasn't Vice City, but San Andreas that was taken off the shelves.
John Doe report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Since when does the UK think we are this sons.

Jun 23, 2007 11:15     

Not that I live in the UK. How can they tell us not to buy a game. They allow porn to sell almost everywhere in the world. Why not a game that is massively "AOish". Even so... Rockstar just sell the game Online and if someone from the UK buys it tell them they have to pick it up in Asia or something like that.
Temo report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

So what?!

Jun 24, 2007 08:16     

So what if this game is a bit violent, that's why it's going to get an AO rating, all this news coverage is also going to make sure of high sales, THAT'S why Rockstar is holding the launch!
Logan report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

You guys aren't getting it...

Jun 24, 2007 10:41     

Rockstar planned to release the game only on Nintendo Wii, Sony PSP, and Sony Playstation. Both Sony and Nintendo have refused to licencse the game due to the AO rating. This has effectively "banned" the game in the US now. So Rockstar HAD to stop the press and rethink how they're going to proceed because now there isn't a console that wants their game. They could try the 360, but there's no guarantee that Microsoft would licence the game either. And even if Microsoft did license the game with an AO rating, it wouldn't make much business sense to Rockstar. Now their game is only on one console and there wouldn't be enough brick stores or online stores that would be willing to sell it. It's about making money in the end.

DJ report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

summing up

Jun 24, 2007 18:49     

i want this game, i have a pc, im over 18, i have money, and im only one of milions. sell it online!
Gary report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

my own little hypocrisy...

Jun 26, 2007 07:19     

While I do believe in freedom of speech, freedom of dumbness and the things alike, I personally am not feeling this at all. I do like games thank you very much and I do like that people have choices, but I still don't feel too sorry for rockstar. I still don't see the need of making dumb-violent and otherwise unsound games such as this and the most recent gta releases. My opinion boils down to my own personal tastes of course and as such, doesn't carry too much weight, so if you find this altogether disagreeable, disregard it. yadda yadda

nawt report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Serves them right...

Jun 26, 2007 13:39     

Rockstar got into my books because of the PC release of the GTA series. That's were they started anyways, as far as I know. It was only GTA 3 that was released on PS2. So why do they abandon their PC users? If they made the game for PC, selling it online would be no problem. As sad as it is to say, it serves them right for going only with console systems and then making a game excessively violent. There's no need to have the kind of graphics violence they have. On the other hand, I'm actually appalled that a game like San Andreas sells with an M and that people try and sue Rockstar and/or chastise them with an AO rating for a simple sex-game that requires patching to enable it. What north america is saying is it's alright to run over prostitutes, kill police officers, steal, beat, maul, shoot, and incinerate people, but heaven forbid you have sex (something perfectly natural and that EVERYONE at some point in their life does). What a joke... hypocrisy at its best.

me report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

No Law about Owning it.

Jul 02, 2007 21:34     

You see there is ban against selling it in US but doesn't mean you can't Order it an own it. n.n; Yay! Loopholes.
Mr. Psycho. report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0