Manhunt 2 has put Rockstar in more hot water, this time from The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Mike Fitzpatrick, executive director of NAMI issued a statement regarding the portrayal of people with a mental illness in the game. In the statement Fitzpatrick asks Rockstar to modify or recall the game:

Even though some people may consider Manhunt 2 to be only a game, it unfortunately perpetuates and reinforces cruel, inaccurate perceptions that people who live with mental illnesses are violent. The U.S. Surgeon General has condemned such stigmatization, identifying fear of stigma as a major barrier to people getting help when they need it. The overall contribution of mental illnesses to violence in society is exceptionally small. In fact, people living with mental illness are far more likely to be victims of violence.

He then goes on to point out the changes that were made to the game and reaction the game received in the UK:

Manhunt2 initially received an “Adults Only” rating for players ages 18 and older in the United States. This rating would have limited the game’s market; several major retailers will not sell games with that rating. Rockstar made some small changes to the game, including the removal of a graphic scene with castration, and received a new rating of “Mature” for players ages 17 and older. The British Board of Film Classification was not satisfied with the changes and citing the game’s “unremitting bleakness” and “casual sadism,” has banned the game in the United Kingdom.

It’s evident that he is not yet aware or the recent hack that uncensored the game. Closing the statement Fitzpatrick asserts that:

We do not favor censorship, but we do ask for responsible exercise of creative rights when serious public health concerns are at issue. It is our right to demand a higher standard.

While this type of reaction is expected and even required for a person in his position, how interesting would the game be if it was about a guy going to his psychologist and working out his problems? It seems like the most responsible thing to do would be to include a disclaimer at the start the the game, though it remains to be seen if such a move would keep the critics happy.

Like this post? Subscribe to our RSS feed.

This entry was posted by Andrew Cummings on Friday, November 2nd, 2007 at 4:08 am and is filed under Industry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.