Manhunt 2 given reprieve

Rockstar Games has won its appeal against a ban prohibiting the UK release of the software developer’s Manhunt 2 game following an appeal to the video appeals committee.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) slammed the game back in June for its "unrelenting focus on brutal slaying" and "casual sadism", making Manhunt 2 the first game to be banned in a decade.

The video appeals committee voted by a majority of four to three in favour of Rockstar’s appeal against the BBFC’s earlier decision.

"We are committed to making great interactive entertainment, while also marketing our products responsibly and supporting an effective ratings system," a spokesperson for Rockstar said in a statement.

Should it decide to do so, the BBFC can still award the game an 18 rating or take the case to judicial review.

"The BBFC twice rejected Manhunt 2 for its focus on varied and cumulative killings. We recognise that rejection is a very serious step, in which the desire of publishers to market their games, and that of the public to buy them, must be balanced against the public interest," said BBFC director David Cooke.