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Controversy over manhunt 2 spreads as Britain and Ireland have already censored the computer video game; and sales in the US look to be put on hold or restricted all together.

In New Your video game publisher Take-two announced on Tuesday June 19th that it was temporarily suspending the release of the ultra violent computer video game "manhunt 2" because of the ongoing rating issues faced in the United States and the the ban in Britain and Ireland.

Take-two said int a statement that it need time to "reviews its options" but would "continue to stand behind this extraordinary game."

"We believe in freedom of creative expression, as well as responsible marketing, both of which are essential to our business of making great entertainment," Take-Tow explained.

The computer video game "manhunt 2" had been scheduled for release on July 10th in the Untied States for both the nintendo Wii and Playstation 2.

However critics are concerned with games' content, "which depicts escape of an amnesiac scientist and a psychotic killer from an asylum and their subsequent killing spree. In the Wii version, the consoles motion-sensitive remote is waved around to control a virtual murder weapon."

There is still skepticism on whether violent video games lead to violent behavior, but many big retailers, such as Wal-Mart, which accounts for 25 percent of U.S. computer video game sales, refuse to carry "Adults only" titles.

This suspension was a setback for creator of Roskstar games, which came under fire for the popular "Grand Theft Auto" series of urban crime games, with Take-Tow earlier this year "underwent a shareholder coup that ousted its chief executive and nearly all of its board."

Take-two has done very well for itself with last year revenues just over $1 billion, and with manhunt 2 it is expected to generate around $40 million according to analysts, which suspension or setback can hurt Take-two sales.

For Take-two new management its goals are to rein in the creative talent and tell the video game industry that they are in the business of making money and to make games that sell not game that are artistically beautiful but not available at Wal-Mart. Agreed, if Take-two or Rockstar or whatever company creates game that may look great but are to violent or have too much sexual content to be put on the selfs at Wal-Mart that need to reconsider how they create their games. For more article like this one please go to http://www.gameznstuff.net/blogs.html

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posted by 45193  # 12:58 AM