Take Two has confirmed to Kotaku that the upcoming Manhunt 2, scheduled for release July 10 on PlayStation 2 and Wii, has been given a preliminary rating of Adults Only by the ESRB.
Take Two says they are "exploring their options." The ESRB says they can either accept the rating, or tone down the game's content and resubmit it through the ratings process again.
I would really like to know what separates Manhunt 2's content from that of movies that would be rated "R." By labeling it Adults Only, it's putting it in the category of NC-17-rated films -- that is, restricting anyone younger than 18 from viewing it.
But more than that, it means that several major chains won't carry the title. When Grand Theft Auto San Andreas had its rating changed to AO after the Hot Coffee mod was found, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and GameStop all pulled the game from their shelves. "We do not sell games that are rated AO," a Wal-Mart rep told CNN at the time.
I suppose we in America should count our blessings that we don't live in the UK, where the game was banned outright. All the same, this had better be some amazingly graphic violence.
Manhunt 2 Rated Adults Only [Kotaku]
