Rumors have been circulating for a while that Target, prompted by the discovery of
Manhunt 2's
hidden dirty, dirty filthy content on the PSP version of the game, had pulled the title from its shelves. Now, GameSpot has received the official word that, indeed, those hunting (get it?) for a hyper-violent, hyper-mediocre action-stealth game will have to look for a store without red ring decor.
Is this maybe, just maybe, more a move to avoid a media firestorm than an actual concern about keeping young'ns from buying objectionable material at Target? ...
We have no idea why you'd think that.
{ Nov 7th 2007 at 10:59AM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dreamcicle @ Nov 7th 2007 11:06AM
I don't understand this crap. It's rated M already. Maybe if people did their jobs to keep little Timmy from buying it we wouldn't have this problem. This garbage should never have been made anyways, not because it's violent but because it sucks.
I also remember that computer class in primary school was probably worse than this game anyways. MMM boobs.
pixelator @ Nov 7th 2007 12:13PM
Target almost HAS to do it. Any game that provides 'hidden' content that exceeds what it was originally rated/approved for (which in this case would probably make it an AO instead of M), you're just asking chains to pull the plug.
Hidden nude/violent/sex/etc. content is a HUGE no-no. It's not supposed to be in the game at all. I worked on a PS1 game back in the mid-90's and when someone fabricated the rumor that our female heroine had a 'nude code' we all got hauled in before the execs and threatened with our very LIVES. When the code never surfaced, the suits relaxed. And only then.
gonk @ Nov 7th 2007 12:25PM
haha did you work on tomb raider?
man those ps1 versions sucked, the controls were shit
I'm glad they saved the series with Legend
Shagittarius @ Nov 7th 2007 11:14AM
I'm really not happy about this. I don't want target controlling free speech or my right to choose for myself.
If taraget doesn't want to sell this one game they shouldn't be allowed to sell any. Stick to vaccume cleaners and deep fryers.
Shmil @ Nov 7th 2007 11:31AM
yes because its going against free speech when you refuse to sell a game, you know what walmart and target are both impeding on the first amendment because they don't sell porn
Martin @ Nov 7th 2007 11:34AM
You're a tool, Shag. They're not controlling any rights of yours. Go shop somewhere else, fuckwit.
Shagittarius @ Nov 7th 2007 11:46AM
This is how a corporation controls free speech in America. And it goes beyond that, this is how the consumer controls free speech in America. Only in this case there are no minority rights.
If you take away the two biggest retailers as an outlet for a title your giving up a lot of sales. Therefore target gets to dictate the content of said game in order to put it on their shelves. Now target is probably only responding to certain vocal consumer interests, but these people shouldn't be allowed to dictate free speech either just because of their dollars.
The problem is that when your dealing with retail items there is no consideration for minority rights like there is in legal and ethical matters. When corporations like target sell the lions share of titles they and their consumers in effect hold control over free speech in those situations.
We all need to speak back to target with our dollars and not shop there even if you don't like Manhunt2.
Jake @ Nov 7th 2007 12:12PM
Shag, you are so amazingly clueless.
Take Two made the game and have every right to distribute it, sell it, or give it away to anyone who wants it and those people have every legal right to enjoy it. That is free speech.
But free speech doesn't guarantee everyone is forced to pay you money for your "speech". Target doesn't have to buy 100k copies and stock their shelves with it if they feel the public backlash will hurt their image more than the sales are worth. They don't stock pr0n for this reason. The ESRB gave it a mature rating, but Target can still decide that isn't in their best interest to stock it. Why stock a crappy game that won't sell any copies when the punishment is looking bad to the millions of Target consumers that are scared shitless of anything the news sensationalizes.
You have the freedom to make any game you want. But if you want to make uber millions on a piece of mainstream entertaiment that is sold to the ignorant fearful masses, you better make sure it is acceptable by the mainstream outlets.
Lord Chako @ Nov 7th 2007 2:11PM
Sensationalize much Shag?
Target also doesn't sell guns.
Would you also say they are infringing on the right to bear arms?
baby sea tuna @ Nov 7th 2007 11:15AM
"This garbage should never have been made anyways, not because it's violent but because it sucks."
Truer words...
+1!
Fullmetal Salchemist @ Nov 7th 2007 2:49PM
I agree with your agreement.
Zsavior @ Nov 7th 2007 11:29AM
The hypocrisy is Target will sell movies like Saw, Hostel, and other horror filled gore. But for some reason video games is a line people want to draw? Because kids don't buy movies right? Kids don't sneak into movie theaters?
Blaming video games and kids has become a band aid approach to every thing in society now. We hold stricter rules for owners with dogs than we do for peoples own actions. Raise your dog to be brutal and vicious then watch it bite people, you will go to jail for that. Raise your child to be a horrible bully teach them nothing and watch them go wild on society, well that is the video games fault.
Dreamcicle @ Nov 7th 2007 11:39AM
I agree with everything you said. Cheers!
I can't watch movies like hostel (I'm not a wimp, I swear!.) I just don't see the entertainment of watching gory detailed deaths. Funny that movies like that are ok but games which are nowhere near as graphic are so much worse.
Dreamcicle @ Nov 7th 2007 11:45AM
Also, I wonder how long until games are blamed in the Finland school shooting.
WiNG @ Nov 7th 2007 11:42AM
yeah when did horror films switch their focus from scaring you to trying to excite you with murder porn anyway?
samfish @ Nov 7th 2007 11:45AM
They've been slowly moving towards it for years, but it's absolute shit like Saw that really went all the way with it.
samfish @ Nov 7th 2007 11:44AM
Oh well. I wasn't going to buy it anyway. I draw the line at having to hurt animals, even if it's in a game.
Microwaving cats= no samfish $$$.
ColossalHat @ Nov 7th 2007 2:23PM
You mean you never microwaved Ed's hamster in Maniac Mansion?! If you do that, go see him, it's hilarious.
JIB @ Nov 7th 2007 11:58AM
Note also that Target won't sell RE4 Wii, but sells RE4 on PS2.
gonk @ Nov 7th 2007 12:23PM
the added waggle makes it a murder simulator, according to media douchebags
Shockgamer @ Nov 7th 2007 12:18PM
Snarky comment about even middle america not deserving to suffer through manhunt?
Or Snarky comment about me not being able to remember the last time I walked into a Target?
Decisions, decisions.
baby sea tuna @ Nov 7th 2007 1:13PM
They're still better than Wal-Mart.
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 7th 2007 4:15PM
By a country mile.
spinninnzen @ Nov 7th 2007 1:47PM
This is ridiculous. Talk about overreacting. Ok first off. Rated M. Does Target pull off its rated R movies. Dont they sell "UNRATED" versions of movies? Secondly you need a PSP that plays homebrew. A hard disk to dump the iso. Then you need to rewrite the code. All that for some riskier game on a game that supposedly sucks anyways (havent played it). The person who does that probably doesnt buy his games at Target. And if hes underage then thats his parents fault for letting him do it. Quit trying to be all hollier then thou, Target. Or at least be that way across the board and Get rid of your American Pie set Unrated Edition, Your Saw 2, 3 unrated editions (including the PSP version you sell) Your power tools, your paintball "markers" (we dont call those guns anymore but they can put your eye out!!!) And all your other "questionable/objectionable" items that may affect these childrens lives you are trying to "protect" from playing this one game. That way you can just sell pillows. Soft fluffly pillows that no one can possibly use to harm or get the idea of harming someone else. Crap, theres that whole suffocation thing. Screw it, just close up shop Im sure we can find another store to shop at, probably the same place we can get Manhunt 2
zero2dash @ Nov 7th 2007 1:54PM
I guess Jack Thompson recently started working at Target? Either that or corporate's afraid of inciting his wrath so they won't sell the game just in case he sends his puppet, err hellspawn, err child in a Target store to buy the game.
In other events...can this game go away now...please? It looks like it sucks, reviews say it sucks, controversy does not create a good game et al, so yeah...let's move on to better games more worth our time now, fellow gamers - eh?
Evan @ Nov 7th 2007 2:25PM
I provided original text of the memo to GP and Joystiq. If you want to read their internal justification, here you go:
11/02/07 Manhunt 2 Shipment
Electronics, Guest Service (Front End), Receiving Chargebacks
Issue 1
Manhunt 2 (207.12.1742) is a new video game releasing this week. It is currently on the way to stores. The game has been identified as having graphic nature and we have decided not to carry this title. The vendor, Take Two Games, has agreed to take back the title.
Action 1
Please REFUSE shipments of Manhunt 2 (207.12.1742). It will be coming direct to store on PO 5208023. DO NOT, in any circumstance, put this title on shelves.
Action Due Date
11/03/2007
mw
drun @ Nov 7th 2007 7:58PM
Didn't they know that blah blah thing can only be cracked on an illegal ISO?
I've got a cracked copy and I don't think it that violent, just some can't-see-what-in-the-hand attack on the non-detailed cubical "heads".
scooterge558 @ Nov 8th 2007 12:29AM
You know if I was Take Two, I wouldn't have taken them back, there's nothing physically wrong with them, or I'd let Target know that the next Take Two game, was not going to be offered in Target stores to 3 months after release. Let Target deicide if they want to place an order for a game, then after the order has been fulfilled, decide oh no, there's too much flack we might catch, cancel our order. Take Two should say ok, we'll cancel your order, and Target you can refuse the shipments of the games that you ordered, and along with that when our next game comes like GTA 4, you'll be shipped the titles 3 months after the release date. Thanks for playing.
Target ordered the games to begin with, now they want to renig on their order, because you have to jump through hoops to get to the content on the game that was originally put there by the publisher and was there the last title was rated M.
If I was Take Two, the other thing I'd do is find out how many "graphic in nature" M rated titles they have and find out why Target is carrying them.