Nintendo And Sony Are Idiots

A new game called Manhunt 2 has generated a lot of press. The premise behind the game is simple: Run around and brutally murder people. On the Wii, you'll have an especially grisly run; you'll get to physically mimic the actions you need to kill people. It's already been banned in the UK and Ireland.

I don't want to buy this game. I really really don't. I wish it didn't exist. But upon the ESRB's announcement of the game's AO rating—Adults Only—Nintendo and Sony announced that they wouldn't let anyone buy it. By refusing to license it, they've ensured that the game won't play on their consoles.

I feel that a retail chain should be able to say that they will or will not carry it, but why should Nintendo be policing my household? I can make an informed decision and so can other adults. That's why it's rated AO. Do AO games get sold to children? Probably. Or to the striking volume of adults who don't bother to learn anything about what their kids are doing. But banning the game doesn't fix those very real problems.

The best part is that Nintendo issued a press release about the decision, and it argues against their decision:

But as with books, television and movies, different content is meant for different audiences. That's why the ESRB provides ratings to help consumers understand the content of a game before they purchase it.

Yes, that's why the ESRB exists. So that we can make our own decisions. Not so that someone else can make them for us. I think this is a horrible game. But I also think that gamers should have the ability to play it in its uncensored form. As it stands, Rockstar is likely to edit the game to get the magic M on the box. It wasn't their vision, and the game will likely suffer for it.

via Joystiq