Censor to challenge Manhunt 2 release in court
Judge says it has a case
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A judge has granted the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) a full court hearing for its argument that controversial videogame Manhunt 2 should not be released in this country.
Mr Justice Wyn Williams also suspended the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) ruling that the game should be given a certificate, allowing it to go on sale in the UK legally.
The VAC made that decision earlier this month after Manhunt 2 developer Rockstar challenged the BBFC's refusal to certify the game.
In the UK, games must be given an age-suitability certificate before they can be sold. The certificate indicates the age groups retailers are permitted to sell a title too. Selling a game to a buyer who's younger than the certificate indicates is an offense.
Earlier this week, the BBFC said it would appeal against the VAC ruling. Following today's judgement, the censor will be able to challenge the VAC's decision in the English High Court.
The BBFC believes Manhunt 2 shouldn't be released, even to people aged 18 or more, because of the risk it will fall into the hands of young kids. Rockstar told the court today it admits the game isn't suitable for children, but that it believes it is appropriate for an adult audience.
The case is set to come to court before the end of January 2008.
COMMENTS
@the_oppressed
It is funny how these things always stir up the armchair revolutionaries.
The "system" that keeps their arses clean and their cheetohs fresh and their cars from plowing into each other routinely and snuff films off the beeb is repressing their rights and suppressing their speech because in this case its their guilty pleasure under the microscope.
"How dare the bastards..." it begins and quickly escalates into self-entitled outrage from there. The classifiers become censors. Community standards become pious puritanical dogma. Classifications become steepled pyres of burning knowledge denied to the common man.
You live in a country where classification decisions, designed to inform and protect the ENTIRE community, generally reflect community values of the day and constantly evolve. You live in a country where the range of material available to you is broad and constantly expanding. You live in a country where "banning" content (refusing classification) is rare and can be challenged publicly and constantly revisited. You live in a country with a liberal outlook on art, knowledge and freedom. Put simply you live in a state where you can do very nearly everything you want to do and be fairly safe and secure whilst doing it.
No, the system isnt perfect and this time its you who feel aggrieved. Much as some people may have felt aggrieved that (to pluck an example at random from the site) "I Know Who Killed me" received a classification (http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/c2fb077ba3f9b33980256b4f002da32c/ec646e59b259ecba80257346001f734e?OpenDocument#_Section1)
Thats life. You live in a society. Get into to it or get out of it.. Just stop fattening yourself at your wet nurse's bosom and complaining about damned nanny states.
Arrgh! Arrrgh! Anarchy! (And a reliable rail system, and affordable healthcare, and safe clean streets and pervs off the street and .. and .. ANARCHY!!!)
Re: Good Job
You are so wrong. The whole idea of living in a free society is to be able to "take liberties". As long as it doesn't affect others.
Makes my blood boil
I'm gonna pop round to the BBFC HQ and stab 'em up good and proper with my Wiimote.
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