Sony, Nintendo forbid 'Manhunt 2' in US

Manhunt 2, the PlayStation 2, PSP and Wii game that was banned by the UK's BBFC earlier in the week, has been denied a release in the US by the consoles' makers. The game received an Adults Only rating in the US from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, and CNET.co.uk's sister site GameSpot has confirmed with Nintendo and Sony that both companies forbid licensed third-party publishers from releasing games rated AO on their various hardware platforms.

Though Manhunt 2, which is made by Grand Theft Auto developers Rockstar, isn't slated for any of Microsoft's systems, the software giant has also confirmed that it does not allow AO-rated titles on the Xbox or Xbox 360. 

The sole exception to this rule was in 2005 when the already released Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, also made by Rockstar, was retroactively rated AO, at which point retailers pulled it from shelves and Take-Two suspended production of the game. Even if console makers allowed games rated AO, no mainstream US retailer would stock such a game anyway.

"It's currently our policy not to allow the playback of AO-rated content on our systems," a Sony spokesperson told GameSpot.

Nintendo's official line was much the same. "Games made for Nintendo systems enjoy a broad variety of styles, genres, and ratings," a representative told GameSpot. "These are some of the reasons our Wii and Nintendo DS systems appeal to such a broad range of people. 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. As stated on Nintendo.com, Nintendo does not allow any AO-rated content on its systems."

Take-Two's most readily available alternatives are to appeal the ESRB's AO rating or to modify the game. At time of publication, a Rockstar Games representative had not responded to GameSpot's inquiry about how either move would impact the game's scheduled 10 July US release date.