Earlier today, the British Board of Film Classification gave Manhunt 2 a thumbs down, banning it from sale in the UK due to its "unremitting bleakness" and "casual sadism." Now it appears the Entertainment Software Rating Board is ready to hand down its own most restrictive rating to the latest controversial offering from Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games.

A Take-Two representative told GameSpot today that the ESRB has issued an initial rating of AO for Adults Only to Manhunt 2. While not an outright ban, the rating would severely limit a game's sales potential, as most major American retailers have chosen not to carry games rated AO.

As for the reason this is only an "initial" rating, when the ESRB rates a game, it notifies the publisher 30 days prior to publicly releasing its decision. This gives publishers unhappy with ratings the chance to either modify their games and resubmit them for a second assessment, or go before the ESRB's appeals board to challenge it directly.

"We believe the process of rating video games is to help people make informed entertainment choices and not to limit them," a Take-Two representative said. "Manhunt 2 was created for mature audiences and we strongly believe it should receive an M (Mature) rating, aligning it with similar content created in other forms of media. We are exploring our options with regard to the rating of Manhunt 2."

While Take-Two doesn't agree with the idea of an AO-rated Manhunt 2, one parent watchdog group believes it's only appropriate. Earlier today, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood demanded that the ESRB give Manhunt 2 an AO rating, saying that "harmful effects of ultra-violent video games on children will be magnified by playing them on the interactive Nintendo Wii system."

The group's announcement contained a statement from Dr. Michael Rich, director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children's Hospital Boston, who explained, "The content of Manhunt 2 and the unique physical interaction with the Wii control combine to take [the game's simulation] a level closer to reality--we can expect that the effects of this experience will be even greater."

The group directed like-minded individuals to contact ESRB president Patricia Vance with their concerns, and Vance today issued her response.

"We have received the letter from CCFC and, while we might take issue with some of the statements made within, we sincerely appreciate their expressed concerns," Vance said. "Our ratings are intended to provide guidance that allows parents to choose games they deem suitable for their children, and that is a responsibility we take extremely seriously."

Manhunt 2 is currently slated for a July 10 release on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6172743...ewstop;title;1

wow, well this was unexpected, could this game be known as Wii and PSP's first rated AO game lol

but I wonder what Rockstar's "options" are on regarding this rating. ...

Late last year, Gran Turismo designer Kazunori Yamauchi told fans that the next installment in his popular driving simulation series would reflect a change in the franchise's core principles and become "a fully realized online car life simulation."

While it might not be one of the "core principles" Yamauchi referred to last year, the designer did confirm one change in store for the next Gran Turismo in a recent Polyphony Digital profile by French motorsports program Turbo. For the first time in a Gran Turismo game, players will be able to select an inside-the-car viewpoint with the steering wheel and dashboard visible.

"To translate the real car into 3D, we use data and assets provided by the car manufacturers, but we also use a scanner that completely digitizes a car," Yamauchi told the show. "Here's a scoop: We're also modeling the dashboards because you can drive from the interior view in the upcoming Gran Turismo 5."

When asked about the Gran Turismo five in-car views and recent rumors of downloadable content for Gran Turismo HD for the PlayStation 3, a Sony representative told GameSpot, "We haven't made any recent announcements on the GT franchise."
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6172697...wstop;title;14 ...

via Cubed3

THQ has today revealed that it will be bringing the popular Warhammer 40,000 series to Nintendo's DS at long last, under the title of "Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command". The game will bring the carnage of the 41st millennium to gamers this coming Autumn, taking full advantage of the system's unique features. This edition will feature a new and immersive single-player campaign, along with a robust global multiplayer component, which seems to imply it will use Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection.

"Bringing the Warhammer 40,000 universe to handheld systems creates exciting new game play options for fans across the globe. An all-new single-player storyline and the ability to battle head-to-head with anyone in the world make this an exciting addition to the Warhammer 40,000 library."
- Bob Aniello, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, THQ.

For those that have no idea what the Warhammer 40,000 series is about, here is the company blurb about Squad Command:

"Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command marks the first time the brutal, war-ravaged world of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 universe will be playable on the Nintendo DS. Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command features action-packed combat and turn-based strategy through an engaging, authentic single-player storyline. Gamers play as the elite Space Marines of the Ultramarines chapter and strive to combat the encroaching evil of the daemonic forces of Chaos through 13 cinematically-tied missions. With a robust multiplayer mode featuring nine unique missions, gamers will team up to go head-to-head with other players worldwide as either the Imperium of Man or Chaos, ensuring hours of replay ability. Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command will also fully utilise all the portable functionality of the Nintendo DS, including the dual-screen and stylus." ...

via Business Wire

The time for monkey business has arrived, as D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA) announced today that The Adventures of Darwin™ is shipping to retail stores across North America exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system from Sony at an SRP of $19.95. In The Adventures of Darwin, players take on the leadership role in a group of primitive, yet promising, primates. The game follows the evolution of group leader Darwin the monkey and his adorable companions as they grow from a small assembly of simple primates to a powerful, intelligent colony of human cavemen. This process is prompted as players learn about and interact with the vast prehistoric world around them. If gamers want to survive life in the hostile world, they must evolve!

“Just as Darwin does in the game, the PlayStation 2 market is evolving--it’s now ready to accommodate more games like The Adventures of Darwin that appeal to family-friendly audiences,” said Sam Guilloud, brand manager, D3PA. “With such a large and loyal install base of over 38 million in the US (Source NPD), this is the perfect time in the PlayStation 2’s life cycle to release such a unique title.”

The Adventures of Darwin utilizes innovative real-time strategy elements and a first-hand evolutionary gaming experience. Commanding up to 30 primates, gamers assign a variety of tasks to their primate companions and make real-time decisions to increase the chances for survival of the fittest. Tribe members become more intelligent as they evolve, improving survival skills and verbal communication as the level of civilization advances. The richly colored world is beautiful but dangerous, filled with lush jungles, volatile volcanoes, dark caverns and raging rapids. The group hunts wooly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, ferocious dinosaurs and other foes for the safety and benefit of the village. Players can lead their tribe on adventures, teach them to hunt, collect raw materials to build with and use as tools and weapons, and encourage the use of increasingly civilized language. The weapons arsenal will advance as the village and its members progress. Players of The Adventures of Darwin will find out if they are capable of becoming a leader of evolution, or if they are doomed to a life of monkey business!

The Adventures of Darwin was developed by Vingt-et-un-Systems Corporation and is rated “E 10+” (“Everyone 10 and older”) by the ESRB. ...

via Canada.com

Eidos is wrapping up all three Hitman games into one package in advance of the Hitman movie, set be be released this fall.
Included in the package will be Hitman: Blood Money, Hitman: Silent Assassin, and Hitman: Contracts along with a bonus preview disk with content from the upcoming Kane and Lynch game.
"Hitman Trilogy is a seriously intense dose of gaming," says David Bamberger, marketing manager at Eidos. "The three game set will show just how controversial and innovative the action and stealth gaming genre remains. Players new to the series are in for quite a shock."
In the Hitman games, players take the role of Agent 47, an assassin-for-hire who uses stealth to take out his targets.
The Hitman trilogy is set to launch on the Playstation 2 and PC platforms on June 20, at the bargain price of $29.95 USD. ...

With the legal action against Lik Sang last year and other stores who sold PSP Games and Consoles it stopped a lot of stores Selling PSP Games and Consoles to Europe.

Luckily the likes of Success HK and Divineo still sell PS3 & PSP Consoles and Games from Asia to anywhere in the world.

The benefits of importing are much cheaper consoles for example a £400 PS3 in the UK can be brought for £275 at SuccessHK. Games also nearly half the price in asia what they sell for in Europe.

USA folks might import because different coloured consoles arent available to them.

so Do You Import Games and Consoles ?

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Things have just got even worse for Rockstar, as the Irish Film Censor's Office has announced that the controversial title is now BANNNED in Republic of Ireland. They state that the level of gross, unrelenting and gratuitous violence is just too unacceptable.

quote:

The Irish Film Censor's Office has also announced that the game has been banned in the Republic of Ireland. In a statement, the board gave its reasoning as follows, "IFCO recognizes that in certain films, DVDs and video games, strong graphic violence may be a justifiable element within the overall context of the work. However, in the case of Manhunt 2, IFCO believes that there is no such context, and the level of gross, unrelenting and gratuitous violence is unacceptable."



News Source: Gamespot.com ...

via gamesradar

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