It does seem rather ludicrous that a video game should be banned a rating for being too violent, yet if you take one look at the shelves in any video rental store in the UK, you can see many violent films that easily surpass the realism (the game visuals are computer graphics and not live film footage), violence, blood, sex and language exhibited in Manhunt 2.
However, this seemed not to be the case. The video game Manhunt 2 for Nintendo Wii was controversially banned from release in the UK by the BBFC, even though it was granted release in other countries including North America in October 2007.
The BBFC denied Manhunt 2 any rating at all, and therefore the publisher, Take Two Interactive, took the case to the Video Appeals Committee, appealing for a rating.
Finally, the BBFC have announced that the result of their reconsideration of the Manhunt 2 appeal remains that the appeal against the rejection of the work by the BBFC is upheld. The most recent legal advice received by the BBFC Board shows that there is a realistic basis for a further challenge to its decision, and has accordingly issued an 18 certification.
David Cooke, Director of the BBFC issued the following statement.
“As I have said previously, we never take rejection decisions lightly, and they always involve a complex balance of considerations. We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial review challenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thorough examination, that it posed a real potential harm risk. However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised its independent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision, and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an 18 certificate to the game.”
