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DISCLAIMER: If you don’t like controversial and opinionated articles, then perhaps this one isn’t the one for you. However, I am sure many of you quality gamers out there will agree with me on this one, and feel the same way about the topic of ESRB’s censoring of Manhunt 2.

Manhunt 2, a game that I was waiting for for so long, a game that I actually Pre-Ordered; I was truthfully anticipating this almost as much as Bioshock. One day, as I started my daily routine of checking various news and industry sites, I started to see repetitive headlines:

“ESRB Gives Manhunt 2 an Adult-Only Rating,” “ESRB Doesn’t Like Manhunt 2,” or my favorite, “ESRB Raters Go Insane, Thank You Manhunt 2.” I probably yelled out a slight, “Hell Yes!!” once I realized that Manhunt 2 was going to go where no game has really gone before, and actually offend the crap out of people. I was so psyched that Manhunt 2 was an Adult-Only rating, the gaming industry was about to witness the “Cabin Fever” of interactive entertainment.

As the days grew closer and I marked off my calendar days towards the release, I started to hear some very bad and saddening things about the AO rating of Manhunt 2. Sony and Nintendo came out and said that they will refuse to release an AO game, and Take Two started to question their sales as a factor of their new limited older targeted audience. I took back my “Hell Yes!!” and became extremely disappointed. Manhunt 2 wasn’t going to be released until they censor all of the good and offensive material within. What? Is that like taking Pulp Fiction and spreading pink flowers over all of the blood and body parts? Could it be as bad as listening to a censored Eminem song? I became infuriated.

I didn’t take any drastic measures or anything like cancel my pre-order or send nasty emails to the ESRB, but I knew deep down inside that yet another type of media is going to be censored just for sales questionings and the stingy rating board who doesn’t like to give slack.

Manhunt 2 was delayed, for a long time, and now the release date has been confirmed. Halloween 2007 to be exact, and get ready to play the censored version, since Take Two took the crap from ESRB, and watered down our entertainment.

Take Two, I just canceled my pre-order, and will not be buying Manhunt 2, just because you gave up on fighting for our rights as gamers, enthusiasts, and just a mature audience who wants to have some fun. If you are to ever release an AO version for the PC, then I will be all over it, however for the time being, you have just lost a sale.

[Via]

Wii, PS2, Manhunt 2, Take Two, ESRB