Rockstar Successfully Appeals BBFC Manhunt 2 Ban; UK Release Now Possible, Likely

Rockstar's appeal of the British Board of Film Classification's ban of Manhunt 2 (PS2, Wii, PSP) has been approved by the Video Appeals Committee, passing on a vote of four-to-three.

With Rockstar's appeal successful, the VAC can force the BBFC to rate the game, which would allow it to be released in the UK. The BBFC had twice rejected rating the title due to "its focus on varied and cumulative killings."

The original version of the game was denied a North American release by platform manufacturers following its Adults Only rating by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. A modified version was later assigned a Mature rating and released on October 30, with the rating upheld after hackers found a technically-demanding way to uncensor certain portions of the PSP version.

"We played Manhunt 2 for well over 30 hours prior to our decision," said BBFC director David Cooke. "The BBFC exercises great vigilance and care in ensuring that all violent games which are submitted to us are correctly classified. Our decisions are based on published guidelines, which are the result of very wide public consultation."

"The BBFC will carefully study the judgement by the Video Appeals Committee when it becomes available," stated Cooke.