Rockstar have announced that they are temporarily suspending the release of Manhunt 2 on Wii and Playstation systems. This follows the controversial banning of the game in the UK. Since then it has been reported that the Australian OFLC are also leaning towards banning the game from release in Australia. The game was rated AO in the US restricting the sale of the game.

The official word from Rockstar is this,

"Take-Two Interactive Software has temporarily suspended plans to distribute Manhunt 2 for the Wii or PlayStation platforms while it reviews its options with regard to the recent decisions made by the British Board of Film Classification and Entertainment Software Rating Board ... We continue to stand behind this extraordinary game. We believe in freedom of creative expression, as well as responsible marketing, both of which are essential to our business of making great entertainment."

Considering the massive cost of producing the games and the years of development which go in to them this is an interesting move. No software developer can afford to risk creating a game and not releasing it. Their shareholders would be extremely unhappy. However, there is no reason why the game cannot be revised and then rereleased. The other thing that this move will do is to take some of the heat away from Rockstar. They can let things lie for a little while. Let the media simmer. Of course, while all of this talk is going on about the game a lot of consumers want to know what all the fuss is about. Creating a great deal of demand for the game.

Take Two's Chairman, Rockstar's parent company and distributor of their games, Strauss Zelnick, said this,

"We firmly believe that parents and consumers, once informed as to the nature of any entertainment product, should be able to make their own choices. I have reviewed Manhunt 2 myself ... It fits squarely within the horror genre and was intended to do so. It brings a unique, formerly unheard-of cinematic quality to interactive entertainment. It is also a fine piece of art. I stand behind it fully."

This just goes to show how much pressure governments can actually place on corporations when they want to. The other thing to consider is whether this is the new management looking to make their mark on gaming. The previous management would have tackled this in a different way. The question is what do consumers want? Surely, some of the hardcore porn which some individuals purchase is worse than Manhunt and is more deserving of being banned.

Without a doubt this will be the most debated item of gaming news on all gaming forums this weekend. It might even take gamer's minds off the fact that there will be a new GTA IV video for download next week ... or, maybe not. There are also the rumours that Manhunt 2 will be released on PC (no such 'AO' limitations with the trusty home computer). Then you have the sheer wonders of the internet where someone is bound to steal the code for it at some stage and release a bootleg version of the game.