Take-Two Interactive is feeling the heat from some corners of public opinion again, after it was revealed that their new title Manhunt 2 was being hacked so that gamers could access content that was in the game when it was rated “Adults Onlyâ€. Specifically, people were modifying the PSP and PS2 versions of the game in order to remove the blur from gruesome execution scenes, thus making the game exceed it’s current “Mature†rating. This is not a new dilemma for Take-Two, who suffered similar issues with people finding the now infamous “Hot Coffee†content in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Parents groups (such as the Parents Television Council) are up in arms, with PTC President Tim Winter making the statement that “Either the video game industry will step up and do the right thing, or else it will defy the public interest in order to preserve its own economic interests.†The PTC is urging the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) to reinstate the original “Adults Only†rating, which would make it impossible for it to be sold by any of the main console manufacturers as they do not allow AO content on their systems.
On the other side of the argument is Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick, who stated that the company does its best to ensure their games are sold to the correct audience. He was quoted as saying “”I urge consumers to respect that commitment and to enjoy our games as they are meant to be played, without modifying or illegally downloading modified copies.â€
The ESRB has declined to change the rating of Manhunt 2, at least for now. This issue raises questions on both sides. Is the ESRB rating games in the best interests of the consumers, and are parents paying enough attention to the games they buy their children?
