Manhunt 2 rated AO by ESRB
by JC Fletcher 
{ Jun 19th 2007 at 8:15PM }
Manhunt 2 isn't in as dire a situation in the US as it is in the UK, but it's close. The ESRB has labeled Rockstar's controversial game with an AO "Adults Only" rating. If the game ships with this rating, most retailers will refuse to carry it, cutting sales massively. The only other console game to have an AO rating in stores? Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which was re-rated following the Hot Coffee scandal, and quickly re-released in an edited form.Rockstar has the option to appeal the rating, or they can edit the game and resubmit it. We doubt they'll release the game at AO, because they like selling their products.
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Damian G. @ Jun 19th 2007 8:51PM
And Nintendo will have to either violate or repeal its own policy of not selling AO games, and I think that other company will as well.
Billy_McBong @ Jun 19th 2007 9:20PM
at least they are still gonna sell it here
Sephiroth @ Jun 19th 2007 9:26PM
I don't see why they can't sell a game with an AO rating. The rating system is made so people know what can they expect before they play the game. I think it will do good on removing that kiddie image Nintendo has.
Barry @ Jun 19th 2007 9:41PM
its about time...
Chris @ Jun 19th 2007 10:08PM
I'd be interested to play it in it's current form, to see WHY it got rated AO. I'm assuming for violence and "disturbing images/ scenes"?
GRT @ Jun 19th 2007 10:14PM
I don't get it... Rockstar is all about pumping how violent and edgy its content is... then it gets an AO rating and they start crying about it?
The problem really isn't the rating. It's the retail channels that refuse to sell AO rated games, which then warps what is 'acceptable' as a rating.
Rubang B @ Jun 19th 2007 10:37PM
It's the same with the movie industry. Everybody wants to be M or R to be hip, but the second they hit AO or NC-17 they will lose all their money because the retail channels refuse to carry their products. This game is NOT porn. AO or NC-17 means porn 99% of the time. This is insane.
DiRT @ Jun 19th 2007 11:06PM
"This game is NOT porn. AO or NC-17 means porn 99% of the time. This is insane."
Wha...? Insane? Not quite. Porn? Well, yes, in a sense. It's not hardcore sex, but that's not really the definition of pornography, is it? You also seem to be forgetting that you say "99%" of the time, without realizing that "99%" is based on product in the marketplace, not genre of content.
psyborg @ Jun 20th 2007 3:17AM
Do you guys realize thats its not just shops that won't carry it but Nintendo won't license a game with that rating. As in no Wii version.
http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/buyers_guide.jsp
"*Please note that Nintendo does not sell or license games that carry the ESRB rating "AO" (Adults Only)."
Laz @ Jun 20th 2007 4:21AM
AO Rating? This makes me want to play it even more now!
Ben @ Jun 20th 2007 5:25AM
Nintendo better change its stance, because I want Manhunt 2 now on the Wii and I want it the way rockstar intended it to be, not some edited version. I already pre-ordered it at amazon! Come on Nintendo, Release it with the AO rating!!
danny. @ Jun 20th 2007 10:16AM
I could have sworn BMX XXX was an AO game on consoles...
vidGuy @ Jun 20th 2007 8:11AM
Nope, it's M.
http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=938460
James @ Jun 20th 2007 11:46AM
Wal-Mart won't carry AO, and I bet Target won't either -- that's got to be close to half your retail channels right there. I wouldn't be surprised if Gamestop/EB were unwilling to subject its employees to that kind of liability: you just know that some mom will find out her kid got the game, and raise a furor, and JT will get involved, and they'll all band together and try to find some activist judge to legislate from the bench. Not worth the trouble to anybody involved.
Not that I care; the game looks kinda crappy to begin with...