SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -
"Manhunt 2," a brutally violent
video game that was effectively banned in the United States,
has risen from the grave in a modified form and will go on sale
for
Halloween, its publisher said.
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (TTWO.O) said a new
version of the game, which features an insane asylum escapee
killing enemies in gruesome ways, had won a "Mature" rating
from the U.S. Entertainment Software Ratings Board, meaning it
is meant for players aged 17 and over.
The ratings board had previously slapped an "Adults Only"
rating on the game. While its decisions carry no legal weight,
Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), Sony Corp (6758.T) and Nintendo Co Ltd
(7974.OS) do not allow such titles on their game consoles.
It was the second bit of recent good news for Take-Two
after the strong debut of its spooky underwater shooting game
"BioShock," and the company's shares rose as much as 3.3
percent on Friday, when it announced the "Manhunt 2" news.
"Manhunt 2 is important to us, and we're glad it can
finally be appreciated as a gaming experience," said Sam
Houser, founder of Rockstar Games, the development team within
Take-Two that created "Manhunt" and is behind other popular but
controversial titles like "Grand Theft Auto" and "Bully."
"Manhunt 2 is a powerful piece of interactive story telling
that is a unique video game experience. We think horror fans
will love it," Houser said in a statement.
Censors in Britain and Ireland have also banned the game
from being sold, but Take-Two did not say whether it had
submitted the reworked game for review in those countries.
The restrictions on "Manhunt 2" sparked a debate in the
video game industry about whether the rating system needed an
overhaul. Several game critics who played review versions of
the game said it was similar to extremely violent but popular
horror movies such as "Saw."
Take-Two shares have been hammered in recent weeks after it
delayed its most important game, the criminal adventure "Grand
Theft Auto IV," from its original October launch date.
The stock was up 43 cents, or 3 percent, at $14.78 on
Nasdaq at mid-afternoon on Friday. Over the past six months,
the shares have shed more than 25 percent of their value.
"Manhunt 2" is far less important to Take-Two's bottom line
than "GTA IV." Wedbush Morgan Securities had originally
estimated that the game would account for about $40 million in
revenue this year.
The game will be released on Sony's (6758.T) PlayStation 2
console and PSP handheld device as well as Nintendo's Wii.
Reuters/Nielsen
