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Following yesterday’s announcement that Rockstar Games is to release a sequel to its controversial stealth killing game Manhunt, the company has quickly defended the decision, describing the game as “only appropriate for people who are old enough to play it.“
“We believe Manhunt 2 is a great entertainment experience for fans of psychological thrillers and urban horror,” a spokesperson told MCV. “Manhunt 2 is a chilling and compelling drama and is only appropriate for people who are old enough to play it.“
The spokesperson also defended the game against continuing allegations linking it to the murder of Stefan Pakeerah in 2004.
“We are aware that in direct contradiction to all available evidence, certain individuals continue to link the original Manhunt title to the Warren Leblanc [the boy found guilty of murdering Stefan Pakeerah] case in 2004. The transcript of the court case makes it quite clear what really happened. At sentencing the Judge, defence, prosecution and Leicester police all emphasised that Manhunt played no part in the case,” said the Rockstar spokesperson.
Rockstar submits every game to be rated and classified and it anticipates that Manhunt 2 will be released with an 18+ rating. The spokesperson asks those who are against the game and other such games to “consider the opinions of gamers” and notes that the “stories in modern video games are as diverse as the stories in books, film and television.“
Manhunt 2 is scheduled for release for PS2, Wii and PSP in the summer.
