November 8, 2007
Alone among major video game retailers, Minneapolis-based Target has decided to stop selling the controversial Manhunt 2.Local Minneapolis TV station WCCO covers the decision in this video report. A Target press release, cited in WCCO's coverage, says:
While 'Manhunt 2' was given a 'Mature' rating by the ERSB, we received additional information that players can potentially view previously filtered content by altering the game code. As a result, we have decided not to carry the game.
The station also spoke with Matt Helgeson, senior editor of Game Informer, also based in Minneapolis:
It is not a game for kids, it is very much a game for adults. And any adult thinking about buying the game for their kids should really reconsider that. I would say there are probably ten movies I could walk in right now and buy in Target that are every bit as gory as 'Manhunt,' if not more.
Best Buy, also headquartered near Minneapolis, told WCCO it would not be pulling Manhunt 2:
Best Buy offers a wide variety of game content to suit our broad spectrum of customers... Manhunt 2 will be available for our customers to purchase. Best Buy recognizes the concerns regarding video games, which is why we've worked with the industry to develop and refine the ESRB rating system.
Comments
I can do this too!
So target selling Xated versions of movie releases is some how better?
I think not!
Look at it this way, I can't speak for everyone else, but I when I head on out to pick up a game, Target hasn't been the first place I stop, since...ever... I can't say this bothers me. The only way this is worrysome is if it starts a cascade reaction. I really wish Rockstar would clean up their behavior, if the game were at least good, it might be worth so much controversy.
While I respect that it is the right of a retailer to choose what products it wants to carry I wish people would realize how complicated it is to actually mod the game and that the current mod only removes a blur feature. I also wish when they were thinking about the kind of content the blur was created to cover they also thought about all of the violent and gory movies that are out on the market and carried by there stores. Ultimately, however, it is there loss. They are the ones who will loose money over this, people who want to buy the game will just go to EB Games or Game Stop.
I however, chose not to buy it. THat is what needs to be remembered. They have a right to make it, you have a right not to buy it.
It's still listed as "Rating Pending" on the site but it seems they're enforcing an AO rating as opposed to the recommended Mature.
From the English side of bestbuy.ca:
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=092...
It's showing M from what I see. And on bestbuy.com as well.
Everyone,
It comes down to consistancy. There is none. I'm not even talking about retailer to retailer. I'm talking about within a single retailer. As has been pointed out, Target has no problem selling UnCut versions of movies, nor does it have problems selling other rated M games.
Target CLAIMS it doesn't want to sell the game because some individuals will hack the game (a reportedly illegal act). Guess what? DVDs can be illegally copied. Maybe you should stop selling those. Your steak knives you sell in kitchenware can be used to kill someone. Stop selling those. You sell poisons, used for legitimate purposes, that can be used to kill people. Stop selling those. There are great MANY things that are sold for a specific legitimate purpose, but can be used, modified or not, to do something people preceive is harm (although it's questionable that "harm" is done by playing an unblurred version of a game or watching an UnCut version of a movie, they PRECEIVE it will). Stop selling everything. Get out of the business.
They MIGHT have had better excuse to not sell it in the first place. Now, it just looks like someone's agenda stunt.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I was looking at the Wii version... oh well.
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=092...
He already has in other threads. It is his new chest beating toy.
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Cheaper in the US.
You can tell even Rockstar didn't expect it to be a big seller when the price starts out lower than $50.
The whole thing was to stir the media pot. Not to make money. Even if they expected a mass number of buyers, the low price is pretty tell-tale.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I was going to say something sarcastic & hopefully pithyy about Target stocking PC games that are comparatively absurdly easy to modify, but I am far too tired.
the truth is, no one gives a shit about manhunt 2.
I should have known i couldn't be as quick as him, but then i only scan these pages for 8 hrs a day, not the 24/7 that JT does!!!
Seriously, which is worse in your opinion:
- Human beings in what appears to be real situations, dealing with real trauma and suffering, or
-a three-dimensional polygonal character in what appears to be real situations within a virtual world, not really dealing with real trauma or suffering because, well, it just isn't real.
Everyone coming out against violent games are nothing more than solutions looking for a problem; and they're bad solutions at that...
Can this really be what they are using to sell this game? Is this authorized by Take Two? It sounds really biased to me.
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Yeah, but they're only screwing themselves...or maybe not.
On one hand, they're clearly pointing out that it's not for kids (yay for us), which may cause less sales.
On the other hand, because they are putting a restriction on it, more people may try to get it, bolstering sales.
I'm going to think the former, just because the game sucks, but I could be wrong.
Just like I have the right to decide not to shop there anymore. Target has just lost a customer.
It isn't that I care about manhunt as a game.... what I care about is that Target has now sided, in real terms, with groups I do not approve of.
Target: "OMG we totally sold this to 8 year old kids all the time, and so now we're scared of being sued! I mean we totally thought M17+ was a joke! After all, this lawyer guy said the whole system is a sham, and we believed him!"
The end result is pretty much all games targetted at an adult audience end up getting clumped into the M rating with other games meant for young adults. The M rating is really over used IMHO....
----
Papa Midnight
Who proof-reads these things? The Traget spokesman should be ashamed.
I just found it odd, is all.
----
Papa Midnight
Nightwng2000 said it right. Stop selling other violent stuff first if you pull something like this.
I'll tell you what though as soon as i get another ps2 im buying manhunt 2
"Eh, just to be sure, why have they pulled the Wii and PS2 versions when it was the PSP version that was hacked?"
Figure that one out, and you have found the answer to all our lives.