Nintendo and Sony: No AO Manhunt 2 on Our Consoles
- Scribbled on June 20th, 2007 by Devin Grimes
- Filed in ESRB/Ratings, Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 2
All Nude Nikki, Cyber Photographer, The Joy of Sex, WET- The Sexy Empire — noticing a pattern here? Sure, they’re all real games, but ones you’ve heard of?
That’s because of their strict Adults Only ESRB rating that turned what could have been one 13-year-old’s digital fantasy into nothing more than a behind-the-curtain adults-only special. And according to recent statements by Sony and Nintendo, they want nothing to do with Manhunt 2, so long as it remains with an AO rating.
Currently slated for release on Sony’s Playstation Portable, Playstation 2, and the Nintendo Wii, Manhunt 2 is looking more and more like the game that never was. Speaking to Sony’s David Karraker, Joystiq was issued the following statement:
Currently it’s SCE’s policy not to allow the playback of AO rated content on our systems.
Read on for the official statement from Nintendo…
And, if Sony’s not one to support AO rated games on their system, what about Nintendo, you ask? Afterall, the companies kid-friendly appeal has barely even given Mature rated games the light of day. Here’s what they had to say:
Games made for Nintendo systems enjoy a broad variety of styles, genres and ratings. These are some of the reasons our Wii and Nintendo DS systems appeal to such a broad range of people. But as with books, television and movies, different content is meant for different audiences. That’s why the ESRB provides ratings to help consumers understand the content of a game before they purchase it. As stated on Nintendo.com, Nintendo does not allow any AO-rated content on its systems
Obviously Manhunt 2’s controversial nature could be attributed to the recent spark of issues related to videogame violence, and if Rockstar doesn’t do some heavy editing it looks like Jack Thompson’s dream may have come true at last.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
This has absolutely gone too far. The video game industry has now officially cracked under the pressure of politicians/lawmakers, family groups, and Jack Thompson. And for the record, I’ve never even seen the original Manhunt played, much less played it myself. I have no interest in the series. But this affects all gamers regardless of your interests.
Nintendo and Sony have officially chilled freedom of expression for violent content. Game developers will now develop games with a constant fear that their hard work, time, and money will be wasted if they get the dreaded AO rating. This will cause them to hold back on many forms of expression that may never have been given an AO rating. It’s just too costly to risk, so they’ll stop way short to make sure they don’t cross the line.
Meanwhile, Jack Thompson and others won’t stop. They’ll use this as a stepping stone to continue to chip away at any content they don’t approve of.
Thank you, Rockstar, for starting this whole mess with your stupid Hot Coffee mistake. There is now a definite limit to freedom of expression in video games - a limit that is not shared by other forms of media.
June 20th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Refusing to permit AO games is what turns a ratings system into censorship.
June 21st, 2007 at 5:54 am
EXACTLY, Drocket. The ratings system is so parents and consumers can have an idea of the content in a game before making a purchase, not so console makers, stores, and politicians can keep us from enjoying certain content.
This is akin to buying a DVD player that “refuses” to allow you to play X-rated movies. It’s RIDICULOUS!