Rockstar "Disappointed" by <cite>Manhunt 2</cite> Ban

Rockstar is "disappointed" in the BBFC's decision to effectively ban Manhunt 2 in the UK. The company has released a statement saying that while they respect the BBFC's authority and will make no attempt to challenge it, they "emphatically disagree" with the organization's decision to deny the game a rating:

Manhunt 2 is an entertainment experience for fans of psychological thrillers and horror. The subject matter of this game is in line with other mainstream entertainment choices for adult consumers.

Rockstar's statement continues after the jump.

We respect those who have different opinions about the horror genre and videogames as a whole, but we hope they will also consider the opinions of the adult gamers for whom this product is intended.

We believe all products should be rated to allow the public to make informed choices about the media and art they wish to consume.

The stories in modern videogames are as diverse as the stories in books, film and television. The adult consumers who would play this game fully understand that it is fictional interactive entertainment and nothing more.

Which is pretty much what a lot of you were saying yesterday. You know, after all of this fuss, if the game isn't good, and I mean damn good, we're all going to be terribly, terribly bitter. My experience with the original Manhunt was that it was incredibly shocking and disturbing--for the first hour or two, that is. After the initial OMG wore off, it was...ok. Not great, not awful, just ok. If the second one followed suit, it would be awfully anticlimactic.

UK: Manhunt 2 Banned, Rockstar Responds [Next-Gen]