Sony, Nintendo Block Manhunt 2 Release

[neoadorable]

correct. the lesson to be learned is more interaction between developers and hardware co's. this may backfire tho since it may invite more control over developer freedom of creation. there's always the challenge of balance.

[PL_ Veteran]

Hey, thanks, this has absolutely nothing to do with me telling him his analogy is terrible! Bottom line: your console is not a PC. You do not have the freedom of a PC on your console. The manufacturer of the console decides what is published on their console. Period. That's how it is and always has been.

His argument is perfectly valid. Even on PC, the release can still be "blocked", be it through retailers, or MS not allowing it to carry the GfW banner.

[Zoom7000]

So you ban a game which may be a little violent, but you allow a movie that promotes a psychopath locking people up and telling them that their only way of escaping is cutting their limbs off or something else gruesome. Infact, you allow 2 further sequels, and maybe a 4th film! (Saw...)

There's some inconsistency here, if kids manage to get 18+ games, then the same kids will find a way to get 18+ films. What's the difference?

[Intersect]

manhunt 2 may be blocked from retail release, but look what happened to thrill-kill it was baned from sale in stores but that didnt stop the devlopers from selling it direct.

in Scarface you can chop off limbs with a chainsaw and this gets the ok for release!

[WelshBluebird]

manhunt 2 may be blocked from retail release, but look what happened to thrill-kill it was baned from sale in stores but that didnt stop the devlopers from selling it direct.

But as has been said, sony and nintendo won't allow the game on their systems. Full stop. Rockstar cannot sell the game directly because they are not allowed to put the game on the PSP/PS2/wii platforms. If they did sell it directly, without sony's or Nintendo's consent, there would be a pretty big lawsuit imo. Something with take two can do without.

The only way that would work is if it was on PC. Which atm, it is not (although a PC release is no more likely than before).

[neoadorable]

So you ban a game which may be a little violent, but you allow a movie that promotes a psychopath locking people up and telling them that their only way of escaping is cutting their limbs off or something else gruesome. Infact, you allow 2 further sequels, and maybe a 4th film! (Saw...)

There's some inconsistency here, if kids manage to get 18+ games, then the same kids will find a way to get 18+ films. What's the difference?

of course there's inconsistencies involved, also incompetence and lack of common sense. the ratings systems for games and movies in many jurisdictions are completely broken.

a) they're seldom enforced and are for the most part not enshrined in law.

b) we have meaningless ratings that in effect translate into a hypocritical, indirect form of censure and censorship. if there's no realistic way to sell or buy Adults Only/NC-17 products, just be honest and say they're prohibited, at least it's more straightforward.

and don't explain it away by saying that the ratings boards aren't responsible for what retailers etc choose to sell...the system is even doubly broken if the various components shirk responsibility like that and avoid working together towards a more creative AND profitable industry.

[Smigit]

His argument is perfectly valid. Even on PC, the release can still be "blocked", be it through retailers, or MS not allowing it to carry the GfW banner.

GfW isnt the same as being blocked but...it just means you cant carry the flag. You dont need it.

As for blocking through retailers. Sure thats possible but it's not something MS can enforce unlike consoles. Secondly and more importantly is that nowdays you can bypass retails by selling your game via digital means. They're going to have a hard time stamping out a game if the company decides to distribute it electronically.

So in the end I think hes right...you cant prevent PC software being sold. YOu can ban it from retail sale or from using a GfW banner but in the end the title can still get released in some form that makes it attainable.

On a totally unrelated note. I heard that at the time of the PS2 release some porn companies were contemplating releasing games for the PS2. The theory being that if the content was sold as a DVD containing interactive content, then they wouldnt need to go through all the loopholes (sell it as a movie not a game). Dont think it ever eventuated into much but.

[neoadorable]

smigit, it did, but mostly in Japan and Korea and apparently not too many titles.

blocking from major retail is a kiss of death...right now any other form of selling your stuff isn't cost effective nor available to enough potential buyers.