Manhunt 2 distribution suspended

First the BBFC bans it in the UK, then the ESRB issued it its highest rating possible, and then the Irish ban the game too.

To cap it all off, Nintendo and Sony both ban the game from appearing on the PlayStation 2 and the Wii.

That must have been a tough day in the Take-Two offices and, as the developer struggled to find a way to get the game out there onto shelves, the following decision was slowly made for it.

Take-Two has officially announced it is suspending plans to distribute Manhunt 2 for any platform due to International pressure and the lack of an accepting platform.

Talking to Gamespot, Take-Two gave the following statement;

"Take-Two Interactive Software has temporarily suspended plans to distribute Manhunt 2 for the Wii or PlayStation platforms while it reviews its options with regard to the recent decisions made by the British Board of Film Classification and Entertainment Software Rating Board," a representative told GameSpot. "We 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."

So, that seems to be that for a while at least as, if the game is to be resubmitted for rating, then it will most likely need a substantial change of tone and content and, if the game is to be recoded for the PC or 360, then it will possibly be a fairly substantial delay.

Is this a tragic silencing of free speech, or proof that the censorship system works in attempts to protect the public? Do we need protecting? Get to the forums, where political manifestos and smack-talk are already mixing together.