Game banned in the UK

Lord.Bachus

The game manhunt 2 has been banned in the UK.



The game was shooting for a mature rating, but the english censors deemed the game so gruell that it was not fit for the general public. So they refused to give it any age rating which means the game can not be released in the UK.



Lets hope that our Conan developers will not change anything to this games setting.

Violent games in general are on the edge of being banned.

Phoenixs

Conan is not even in a similar league with Manhunt. It has nothing to put up against it. There are few games that are as cruel as Manhunt, and probably Manhunt 2. It's pure killing. molesting and torturing for the sake of it.



So I don't see Age of Conan being banned. Maybe if they add rape as a requirement to get into the multiplayer part of the game.

Zorvan

Originally posted by Phoenixs 

Maybe if they add rape as a requirement to get into the multiplayer part of the game.

They already have. Only, they call it a "subscription".

random11

Hehe, I would ban Manhunt as well, were it up to me.

Jupsto

this is idiot speculation.

it will not be banned in the uk.

THINK, they are so many worse games than this already out here! have you not heard of GTA? there are lots of rated 18 games int he uk, this is gona be like rated 17/16, so chill out winston

jj85624

phew........ im pretty lucky.. im live in U.S. ^^

AmazingAvery

If you can see "boobs" on page 3 of a daily UK paper then.....

Manhunt 2 and AoC are two very different games, aimed at two very different audiences.

Nothing to be worried about.

Canigua

And if it get banned,what will keep people in UK import it,or is the subscription IP based?

Radav

Originally posted by Consensus

this is idiot speculation.

it will not be banned in the uk.

THINK, they are so many worse games than this already out here! have you not heard of GTA? there are lots of rated 18 games int he uk, this is gona be like rated 17/16, so chill out winston

its not speculation. its true  uk.wii.ign.com/articles/797/797657p1.html

NasherUK

They never learn, by banning games it only encourages people to get them even more.  Especially kids.



All that's going to happen is people will go and download it illigaly from a foreign host.



Anyway Conan is a totally different game, you can chop peoples arms/legs off (similar violence level to the film) and that's about where the similarities stops.

AmazingAvery

Originally posted by Radav

Originally posted by Consensus

this is idiot speculation.

it will not be banned in the uk.

THINK, they are so many worse games than this already out here! have you not heard of GTA? there are lots of rated 18 games int he uk, this is gona be like rated 17/16, so chill out winston

its not speculation. its true  uk.wii.ign.com/articles/797/797657p1.html

Yes in relation to Manhunt 2 not AoC:

Quote from Link:

"He went on to explain that it was a decision that hadn't been taken lightly and normally the board would "try to consider cuts or, in the case of games, modifications which remove the material that contravenes the BBFC's guidelines." However, because the violent themes run so deeply throughout the game the BBFC couldn't recommend cuts that would allow Manhunt 2 a UK release, although Rockstar does have the right to appeal against the decision.



Cooke said: "Manhunt 2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing. There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game."

You see the main thing here is that the game just has one type of theme to it, it doesn't distance itself from its core aim. So you are gratutiously doing killing over and over again.

In AoC there are Mature rated themes, but the context of the game offers different paths to take eg. Destiny Quests, Crafting, PvE cities, - it's not all about killing. Leveling is mainly done through questing or killing things. The things you kill are a mix of Monsters and also other people say in PvP. You dont just go and slaughter all the NPC's, in alot of the vids there are several types of monster/creature.

So it's just silly to compare AoC's clasification with Manhunter 2 - two different games, two different companies, two different markets, two different publishers, two different 'Core' themes... list goes on and on

Royspi

Intresting to note that compared to the US countries views on sex and violence are pratically oppisite. In the US little timmy cant be allowed to see a nipple, but someones head flying off? sure! Other countries have it right, sex is natural and violence isnt. Still, i hope for the sake of the games health AoC isnt banned (although i doubt it will be, anyone whos played Manhunt knows that game goes a little too far)6

andyjd

One of the main problems/issues with 'Manhunt' was the Wii version of the game, where you actually stabbed people with the Wii-remote.....

Radav

oh yea my bad i thought  Consensus  was talking about manhunt 2.

another link here uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20070620/tuk-focus-on-violent-computer-games-6323e80.html

from the link: The original Manhunt game caused huge controversy and was blamed for the killing of Stefan Pakeerah, who was stabbed and beaten to death in Leicester in February 2004.

but still i dont think AoC will be banned, manhunt is just a game for psycho i played the first one and really it wasnt that great even tought its from rockstar game, gta: san andreas have boobs and violence and it didnt get banned

 

Rymdkejsaren

Although I detest when the government makes decisions for the people on what they can watch, read and play, I really can't say that the decision to ban Manhunt 2 in the UK was a bad one. I live in Sweden, and it is not banned here (nothing is).



However, with a game like this you have to ask yourself what the developers were thinking. I played Manhunt a bit to find out what the fuzz about that was, and I was put off it very quickly because the senseless violence was clearly the centre of the game, rather than a feature. I have watched a lot of splatter movies and played a lot of violent games in my 27 years, but this was different, because this was completely pointless. I can't see anyone but a borderline psychopath enjoying this game.



As for AoC, we need not worry. It is nowhere near the level of senseless violence Manhunt 2 has. Sure, you can chop of heads etc, but it's all within a universe where you can do so much more. The chopping off of heads is not the focus of the game. So I wouldn't worry.

BizkitNL

Originally posted by Royspi

Intresting to note that compared to the US countries views on sex and violence are pratically oppisite. In the US little timmy cant be allowed to see a nipple, but someones head flying off? sure! Other countries have it right, sex is natural and violence isnt. Still, i hope for the sake of the games health AoC isnt banned (although i doubt it will be, anyone whos played Manhunt knows that game goes a little too far)6

Violence is just as natural for humankind as sex is.

I think the real problem is that the actual age ratings arent enforced in the shops and online as they should be. If they were, they would simply implement the 18+ rating and rest assured no kids would get their hands on it (Although that is still debatable).

They simply dont want kids in the UK to play Manhunt 2, period.

Elikal

I for myself am glad they had the courage to ban such pointless brutality trash like manhunt. I am playing computer games for 20 years now, and I enjoy shooting and killing NPCs (and in PVP player characters) as many do, but I feel there must be some limit. Some games just overstep the border where violence is more like a good sport, and it becomes needlessly brutal and degrading. There always must be a certain minimal level of control what is allowed, and not all brutality can be allowed. There must be SOME limit. Games like Manhunt 2 or the infamous Postal crap must be forbidden. People ARE influenced by what they see, and killing is not killing; there are always ways to make it too gross and we must be glad society is protected from the most extreme and mindless slaughterfests.

xyklon

Banning games, or anything in general, is just stupid. Let people do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.

andyjd

Originally posted by xyklon

Banning games, or anything in general, is just stupid. Let people do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.

Problem is when you bring children into the mix. Children often don't have the ability or maturity to understand and must be protected from graphic images.

Cormoor

Originally posted by xyklon

Banning games, or anything in general, is just stupid. Let people do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.

Completely agree with you, I am so happy almost nothing gets banned here in Scandinavia (don't know about Denmark though), why should the government be allowed to tell us what we can and can't do? Still pretty annoyed that marijuana is illegal here in Norway

Hengist

Originally posted by andyjd

Originally posted by xyklon

Banning games, or anything in general, is just stupid. Let people do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.

Problem is when you bring children into the mix. Children often don't have the ability or maturity to understand and must be protected from graphic images.

Then you get into poor parenting.

If you are saying that Children need that protection, then parents need to assume some of that responsibility themselves, and not place it on someone else. GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR KIDS LIVES !!!

 

abal

Age of Conan wont have any problems as its goal is not to motivate cruel behavior, as in Man Hunt 2, but is to show realistically battles as they happened in medieval ages and before.



Some games want to give their player base some fun through promoting racism, cruel behavior, etc.



In AoC that's not the purpose.



Abal

Arawon

BIG BROTHER lives. 

mrw0lf

I am against sweeping censorship of anykind but that isn't the case here. This game wasn't bannedfor its dipiction of violence or gore but for it's application. While it is understandable to fight against being silenced at all it's important to take account of what is being silenced and who is hopefully being prevented from experiencing this game.

Its fine to say that 'as long as its not hurting anyone don't ban it' but what if people are being harmed? pshychologically this game is capable of having a profound impact on some people, especially those of a young age and we all have a civil resposability to protect the young.

xyklon

Yes, but that's why there are age requirements. It's the parents responsibility to see to it that kids don't get their hands on unsuitable stuff.



If we count anything else than hurting others physically, then there's a lot of things that might hurt kids.. we should, for one thing, make 'em all dress the same. Some parents cant afford the same expensive brand clothes that others do, that might get them bullied at school and so on.

mrw0lf

True, but the whole age restrictions thing doesn't prevent youngsters from obtaining material they shouldn't, at least of a certain nature. The truth is, in the UK (much like US) parents will be fairly easy on the age limits and see them more as guidlines when it comes to violence or gore in a computer game especially, pornography they take more seriously. As its a game parents see them as beeing made for the kids in the first place, and kids themselves are naturally drawn to those games with lovely red 18 stickers on them. What age group do you feel are responsible for buy the majority of eminem albums with the LEGAL stickers.

I do agree with you in priciple, there is a proces and that it should work well. The truth is (and the censor's know this) that in the real world it simply does not.