Manhunt 2

[Helmsly]

Looks like America won't be getting this game too because of the AO rating...

 

 

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6172830.html

 

 

What do you think will happen now..canned or rockstar will tone it down to an M rated game (although that'll make the game delayed until later in the year)

[Jamba]

Thats such crap, why dont they allow AO ratings? They even give the reasons why they should in the same article.

[Cube]

They could

 

1) Attempt to sell it unlicensed

2) Recude the violence

3) Just can it.

[Helmsly]

Same story at Kotaku.

 

http://kotaku.com/gaming/original/nintendo-nixes-ao-manhunt-270741.php

[Cookyman]

They could

 

1) Attempt to sell it unlicensed

2) Recude the violence

3) Just can it.

 

 

At $25,000,000 budget I doubt they'll choose option 3

 

I wonder what will happen now then? As Manhunt has received an AO rating in America they'll have to make some changes to it there. However some EU countries can and hopefully still will receive the uncut version come launch day.

[jammy2211]

At $25,000,000 budget I doubt they'll choose option 3

 

How the hell did they manage to spend $25 000 000. That's absolutely obsurd, 360 games don't cost that much .

 

We'll see what Rockstar do. Video games doesn't need a game like this being released and ruining it's image more so, after the Wii is doing so well in bringing the industries image back to a positive state in the mainstream media.

 

I wanted the game but if it's going to cause the discrimination against video games like GTA did then I'd rather it gets toned down or something. We'll see what they can do about this I guess.

[Cookyman]

How the hell did they manage to spend $25 000 000. That's absolutely obsurd, 360 games don't cost that much .

 

We'll see what Rockstar do. Video games doesn't need a game like this being released and ruining it's image more so, after the Wii is doing so well in bringing the industries image back to a positive state in the mainstream media.

 

I wanted the game but if it's going to cause the discrimination against video games like GTA did then I'd rather it gets toned down or something. We'll see what they can do about this I guess.

 

 

Manhunt 2 Troubles Will Cost T2 Millions of $$$

Tuesday was a day Strauss Zelnick and his new management team at Take Two Interactive would probably rather forget.

 

Manhunt 2, a title the Zelnick crew inherited from T2’s previous administration, came back to bite the publisher early and often throughout the day.

 

Over morning coffee came news from across the pond that the game was banned in the U.K.

 

Before lunch, in a story broken by GamePolitics, high-profile watchdog group the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) demanded that Manhunt 2 be rated Adults Only in the North American market, a virtual kiss of death as far as retail sales are concerned.

 

By dinnertime Take Two ‘fessed up that the ESRB had, ironically, already assigned Manhunt 2 an AO rating; the publisher said it was reviewing its options.

 

So what will “Black Tuesday†cost Take Two in financial terms? GP posed that question to Wedbush-Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, who tracks the video game sector:

 

I had estimated [Manhunt 2 would generate] around $25 million in revenues for this quarter, plus around $15 million in reorders. It’s not clear to me whether Take-Two will:

 

1) ship the game as is;

 

2) re-cut the game and try to have the UK ban/US AO rating lifted;

 

3) cancel the game.

 

It seems that since most of the cost is “sunk cost†[i.e., not recoverable], alternative 3 is unlikely. The trade-off between 1 and 2 is lower sales with option 1 and higher sales and higher costs (more development and some incremental marketing) for option 2. Without knowing what they plan, I’d say it probably costs around half of the potential revenues, but that’s just a guess.

 

So, given Tuesday’s events, what are the chances that we’ll ever see a Manhunt 3?

 

As for impact on the [Manhunt] franchise, it seems that the violence level is sufficiently offensive to warrant a UK ban and a US AO rating. That can’t be good for the longevity of the franchise.

[jammy2211]

Manhunt 2 Troubles Will Cost T2 Millions of $$$

Tuesday was a day Strauss Zelnick and his new management team at Take Two Interactive would probably rather forget.

 

Manhunt 2, a title the Zelnick crew inherited from T2’s previous administration, came back to bite the publisher early and often throughout the day.

 

Over morning coffee came news from across the pond that the game was banned in the U.K.

 

Before lunch, in a story broken by GamePolitics, high-profile watchdog group the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) demanded that Manhunt 2 be rated Adults Only in the North American market, a virtual kiss of death as far as retail sales are concerned.

 

By dinnertime Take Two ‘fessed up that the ESRB had, ironically, already assigned Manhunt 2 an AO rating; the publisher said it was reviewing its options.

 

So what will “Black Tuesday†cost Take Two in financial terms? GP posed that question to Wedbush-Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, who tracks the video game sector:

 

I had estimated [Manhunt 2 would generate] around $25 million in revenues for this quarter, plus around $15 million in reorders. It’s not clear to me whether Take-Two will:

 

1) ship the game as is;

 

2) re-cut the game and try to have the UK ban/US AO rating lifted;

 

3) cancel the game.

 

It seems that since most of the cost is “sunk cost†[i.e., not recoverable], alternative 3 is unlikely. The trade-off between 1 and 2 is lower sales with option 1 and higher sales and higher costs (more development and some incremental marketing) for option 2. Without knowing what they plan, I’d say it probably costs around half of the potential revenues, but that’s just a guess.

 

So, given Tuesday’s events, what are the chances that we’ll ever see a Manhunt 3?

 

As for impact on the [Manhunt] franchise, it seems that the violence level is sufficiently offensive to warrant a UK ban and a US AO rating. That can’t be good for the longevity of the franchise.

Ahh right that makes sense. The game probably cost about $8 million to develope, so it's not exactly a massive loss (Considering they just sold some GTA downloads to Microsoft for $50 million).

 

"Re-doing" the game won't be very expensive, I don't get where the hell these guys got a figure like that from but game developement on the PS2 is stupidly cheap nowadays.

[Jamba]

Good post Cooky.

 

I'm sure that Rockstar's response will be entirely dictated by financial motive but I do hope that they appeal. A strong appeal with some justified arguements could do them good but at the end of the day their reputation for this kind of stuff isnt exactly great is it?

[christophicus]

;481219]I presume so. Hes writing/has written it. He has contacted Rockstar to see if he can post it earlier' date=' all things considering but not heard anything.

 

Dont want to say too much, don't want to get Wildo in trouble.[/quote']

 

 

Thanks for that man , I shall ask no more . I am sated now .

[KKOB]

I really want this game now . . . i think i AM sick . . .

[Helmsly]

Quite surprised about the fact that giving a game an AO rating in the states is pretty much the kiss of death because Sony and Nintendo will not allow AO games to be relased on the console.

[Gaijin von Snikbah]

Its a shame. We will probably never know what caused the ban. Im willing to bet it was nothing worse than what movies have displayed.

[Dilli Gee]

Thats such crap, why dont they allow AO ratings? They even give the reasons why they should in the same article.

It's the video game equivalent to porn. It's that strong a rating.

 

Any how, Nsiders were right. Nintendo has refused Take Two their Wii license.

[Shino]

I might not be interested in the game, but this is the most hypocritical shit I ever witnessed, for all kind of reasons: Reggies announcement of T2's mature titles, Sony jumping on the faggot train when it never gave a damn, the obvious bias the game industry gets, and the lack parenting by this "concerned" parents.

 

Fuck you world.

[conzer16]

So considering Nintendo and Sony have both stated that they don't allow AO games on any of their consoles can we safely say that this game won't appear anywhere?

[Shino]

Not in America at least.

[conzer16]

I would assume that they won't allow the game appear on any versions of the consoles though.

[Shino]

Anyway, this game would either get M or AO from ESRB, the diference between them is of a mere year, from 17 to 18. They gotta be fucking with us.

[Dilli Gee]

Not in America at least.

No where. It's unlikely the game will come out anywhere.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I honestly can't think about how Rockstar must be feeling right now. I mean...daamn.

[Dilli Gee]

lol, they should have waited for the censors/TPTB to rate the game before printing thousands of copies of the game.

[Owen]

So NOA won't let this be on there system if it's released with the AO rating?

 

Looks like Rockstar may just have to scrap this game, as i doubt they can edit it.

 

What a damn shame.

[Cube]

Isn't this exactly why they made it on the PS2 and Wii, rather than the 360 and PS3? So it wouldn't cost them too much money.

 

They probably knew the risks when they started.

[Ren of Heavens]

Norwegian newspapers states today that its coming to Norway. In one national paper it covers the entire front page ("Forbidden violent game coming to Norway").

 

There was an interview with a Nintendo distributor Bergsala rep saying they havent heard anything from Nintendo internationally, so it will probably go on sale as it got 18+ from PEGI.

 

They also interviewed Medietilsynet, the Norwegian version of BBFC (although they follow PEGI ratings when it comes to games), who say they do not believe in a ban.

 

Barnevakten, a children interest group, refuses to comment on the game fearing more attention will increase sales

 

EDIT: Oh, btw, Monty Python movie "Life of Brian" was banned for a year here in the 80's because of blasphemy...