Manhunt 2 UK Appeal Successful
Manhunt 2, a game which as garnered an undeserved amount of press due to surrounding controversy, has achieved a favorable (if slim) vote from the Video Appeals Committee. Sneaking by with a vote of four for and three against, Manhunt 2 looks to finally have gained a foothold in the U.K. and will finally see release.
The BBFC, in an attempt to justify it's initial ban, stated, "The BBFC exercises great vigilance and care in ensuring that all violent games which are submitted to us are correctly classified. Our decisions are based on published guidelines, which are the result of very wide public consultation". The BBFC goes on to make an interesting statement regarding perceived public interest and actual public interest.
We recognise that rejection is a very serious step, in which the desire of publishers to market their games, and that of gamers to buy them, must be balanced against the public interest, including the full range of possible harm risks to vulnerable individuals and to any children who may be wrongly exposed to such games.
Is it in the public interest to raise children who ought to be raised by their actual parents? While my gut reaction is to shriek, "NO" and start grinding up idle children for pet kibble I realize that yes, it is in the public interest to ensure that children come up relatively unscarred be it physically or emotionally. However, it isn't, or at least shouldn't be, in the public interest to coddle children who are likely to become axe-wielding maniacs after having been exposed to a violent video game. Those wretches are better left to the kibble factories, where my firm yet fair justice is meted out daily.
Meanwhile, gamers in the U.K. can now enjoy a game that has received far too much hype and (if it's predecessor is any indication) is likely to disappoint.
What say you?!