October 30, 2007

Nearly 60 percent of kids say they sometimes play M-rated games; underage kids can buy M-rated titles more than four out of 10 times

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Common Sense Media, the nation’s leading nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the media lives of kids and families, is warning parents and educators to keep all versions of Rockstar Games’ Manhunt 2 out of the hands of children and teens.

This extremely violent video game was recently banned in the U.K. but will hit U.S. shelves tomorrow with an M for Mature rating.

“Common Sense Media believes this game is absolutely inappropriate for kids,” said Common Sense Media CEO James P. Steyer. “Studies suggest that a large number of underage kids play M-rated games. Given the extremely graphic content in Manhunt 2, we want to make sure that parents know that we believe even older teens aren’t ready for this title.”

Manhunt 2 is especially concerning to Common Sense because the version of the game being released for Nintendo’s Wii platform will allow players to potentially physically act out many of the murders in the game.

“It’s really scary to think about,” Steyer said. “People playing the Wii version of the game can actually act out executions with the Wii controller.”

When Manhunt 2 was initially submitted to the Entertainment Software Rating Board in June 2007, it received an AO (“Adults Only”) rating, which would have likely prohibited it from being sold at major retailers throughout the United States. An edited version of the game received an M rating from the ESRB in August.

The British Board of Film Classification banned the original version of the game in June 2007, saying: "Manhunt 2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing. There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game."

Rockstar/Take-Two Interactive resubmitted an edited version of the game; several weeks ago, the BBFC once again banned the game in the U.K. In its decision, the BBFC said: “We recognise that the distributor has made changes to the game, but we do not consider that these go far enough to address our concerns about the original version. The impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient. There has been a reduction in the visual detail in some of the ‘execution kills’, but in others they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature.”

The Federal Trade Commission’s 2007 report on Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children finds that nearly 60 percent of kids under 17 say they are sometimes allowed to play M-rated games. The same report also revealed that underage kids can purchase M-rated games more than four out of 10 times.

Given that the edited version of the game has been rated M in the United States yet banned in the U.K., as well as the fact that an unedited version of the game playable on an illegally modified PlayStation -- and images from that version -- can be downloaded online, Common Sense Media wants to make sure that parents, educators, and all potential consumers know that this game should be kept out of the hands of all children and teens.

National media and health experts from across the nation have also expressed their concern with the release of Manhunt 2:

Thomas N. Robinson, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics and of Medicine at Stanford University and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital: “Research studies have clearly demonstrated that exposure to violent media, and particularly playing violent video games, leads to aggressive behavior in children and teens. Violent video games train children that violence is an acceptable and effective way to resolve conflicts and get what you want.”

Ezekiel Emanuel, M.D., PhD: “An overwhelming amount of scientific data indicates that TV and video game violence is harmful to children. It inures them to violence and leads to more violent behaviors. We need the industry to behave responsibly to protect children – not to make what independent government regulators have described as programs replete with casual and sadistic violence.”

Dr. Susan Linn, Director of Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood: “Tomorrow’s release of Manhunt 2 epitomizes much of what’s wrong with the video game industry’s current system of self-regulation. Research clearly demonstrates that playing violent video games can increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior in children and youth. Yet even as the industry claims it wants to keep its most violent games out of the hands of children, it virulently opposes any legislation that would give teeth to its often un-enforced guidelines for sales and marketing of M-rated games. In addition, there is no transparency in the ESRB’s ratings process; no explanation was given why the rating for Manhunt 2 was downgraded from Adults Only to Mature.”