Violence on the Wii (Manhunt 2)
No video game development company has created as much stir as RockStar Games. They're like poker in the Internet, frowned upon but has hoards of fans supporting it. Ever since the Hot Coffee incident, RockStar games have been carrying a target on their backs, attracting the ire of video game violence activists like the enigmatic Jack Thompson. In a way, this image has given said company a boost as more and more hardcore gamers flock to support their games. Now it appears Nintendo is reaching out to them.
Nintendo have always been keen to promote their child-friendly image, with their cutesy characters and games that arent throroughly based on violence, like many PlayStation titles. But this family image seems to have taken a sudden turn with the release of the Wii, Nintendo are keen to compete with Sony & Microsoft - and by doing so, they have succumbed to having a bit more violence in their games. The great Grand Theft Auto series has never before made it to a Nintendo platform because Nintendo did not believe it was a suitable theme for a game, and didn't want it on their consoles, but there have been strong rumours that Rockstar's forthcoming title GTA4 may be available on the Wii. Read more about GTA4 >> 
The original Manhunt game, released in 2003 on the PlayStation 2, was an incredibly dark, violent affair, you become a man who is being hunted for sport - and to survive you must murder people in horrible ways. The upcoming sequal, Manhunt 2, is making its next-generation debut on the Nintendo Wii, but is it right that people will be physically acting out their in-game murders with their Wii-mote actions?
Pressing a button which stabs someone in the game may be one thing, but what about with the Wii's control method, people will be thrusting their Wiimotes in a stabbing action, bashing people round the face with crowbars, strangling people, and otherwise acting out violent scenes in their living rooms with the innocent white controller. There is a new teaser trailer out for Manhunt 2, it doesn't show much - if anything. Just some mysterious pictures and voices, Watch the trailer >> 
Parents should be concerned, I hope retailers are strict about the age certificate, although it has not yet been decided on, and past experience shows that they will probably happily sell the game to teenagers - only for them to go home and worry their parents with their finely honed killing actions.Nintendo UK have released a statement (12/02/07) about Manhunt 2 on the Wii: "Nintendo has called for parents and retailers to be aware of age ratings when buying or selling mature-rated games." "All games for the Nintendo platforms are rated by the responsible authorities to ensure that minors are not exposed to games that are unsuitable for their particular age group and we want to emphasise the need for all users, especially parents and retailers, to be aware of the appropriate age rating before selling or buying a game." He went on to say parents concerned about children gaining access to inappropriate games should "utilise the PIN-operated Parental Control features built into Wii". In another statement Nintendo said to GamePolitics: "Manhunt 2 is not developed or published by Nintendo. It is one of many titles released by third party publishers for our system that appeal to people of all ages and interests. Just as with movies, television, and books, different video games appeal to - and are appropriate for - different audiences. Video game retailers and purchasers are strongly encouraged to follow the age-specific ESRB ratings when considering what software to sell or buy. If parents are concerned about kids having access to inappropriate Wii games, we encourage them to utilize the PIN-operated Parental Control features built into Wii." 
Nintendo are fully backing Manhunt 2, and it is fair enough, because people should use & respect the ratings & parental control system in place. Afterall, they do have a history of allowing violent titles, like Mortal Kombat's bloody fighting on the SNES, but it hardly compares to Manhunt nowadays.The Wii's control method certainly opens the imagination for game developers, but it has it's pitfalls and certainly won't go down well with people that already think that video games can encourage violence in young people - which has occaisionally seemed the case in an incident a few years ago in the USA, where a couple of male teenagers got some guns from their dad's cabinet and went to a local highway to shoot at cars ala Grand Theft Auto.. most people though, are able to distinguish between fantasy and reality and playing violent games in no way encourages them to do the things for real. Manhunt 2 will be released in the summer (2007). Links: Rockstar: Manhunt official site Manhunt Uncut - News & Info Manhunt 2 @ IGN Email this story to a friend  Add this link to:            
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