Target pulling Manhunt 2.

[Hackfest]

I got this story from www.Gametab.com

Target Pulling Manhunt 2
I just spoke to a contact at my local Target store, who informed me of an interesting internal memo. Apparently all Target stores are to stop selling Manhunt 2, going so far as to tell managers to refuse shipments of the title for all systems, with Take 2 agreeing to take back all unopened copies of the game.

Why is this action being taken? The extreme violence in the game is the given reason, but my contact (an employee but not a manager) was told that it was due in greater part to the unfavorable coverage the game got in the national press the last several days. Target stores had been selling the game since it's launch, but it was only today that they were told to pull the product and refuse further shipments.

I've spoken to employees of several other large retailers (Best Buy, Gamestop and Circuit City) and none of them are, at this time, taking similar actions.

So they're pulling all violent movies too, right, right? All the Saw movies will remain, as will the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

[Kizzume]

I knew it would happen. I knew it. A new version will probably be released that will be less efficient and cannot be modded and will be then available at those stores in 4 months I bet. Just you watch.

I think Rockstar Games will have a full recall.

[Hackfest]

No. This is the M-rated version being pulled. The ESRB already ruled that the AO content in this game is nothing like the Hot Coffee scandal that rocked R* with San Andreas. The hack is limited to the portable version of Manhunt 2 and requires a homebrew-enabled PSP, along with some ISO manipulation. Target is the only major retailer doing this, and it has nothing to do with the actual content, unlike the San Andreas fiasco. Now I'm sure someone else will pull it too, but I say no recall.

[Kizzume]

Nope--media and James Dobson types will make sure that enough people will complain.

Of course, they could always fight it out and potentially become the renegade software company...... doubtful though...

[Hackfest]

We shall see. But Jack Thompson has tried EVERY TIME a game is released by R* to get it pulled. He has also sued them every time. The last time he did this, a judge threw him out of the courtroom for making a mockery of his court. The Hot Coffee scandal is the ONLY GAME in the entire R* catalog to be pulled, and that was because retailers won't sell AO games. It was about money, they don't care about bad publicity. Actually, Sony, MS, and Nintendo will not allow AO games on their systems. No amount of Dobson or Thompson guys will get it recalled. On a side note, did you hear about how Thompson decided that he is in GTA IV, the yet to be released game? Awful.

[Kizzume]

I sure hope he is unsuccessful. I hope they laugh him out of the courtroom like what has happened to him before.

[Hackfest]

Told you so. Manhunt was only pulled by Target in the USA. In the UK it's a different story, but they edited The Wonder Years whenever Wayne called Kevin "Scrote" I'm getting some sales figures now.

[Kizzume]

Well, when you're right, you're right. And you're right.