Putting aside for a bit the various opinions on whether adults should or should not need to be told by a State sanctioned censoring body what they can and can’t watch or play... I hope that ELSPA’s response to the BBFC’s decision not to grant a rating to Manhunt 2 was not made without recognising the long term possible effects of such an action...

It is most interesting to note that the guidelines used in reaching this decision by the BBFC includes the assumed criteria that because games are interactive, they are different to other forms of screen entertainment and should be rated accordingly.

There is no evidence for it to make such a flawed assumption and concerns should be apparent that through pressure from Government, games are becoming increasingly and wholly unjustifiably separated from other forms of screen entertainment...

We know of course from other legislation in recent years, that many politicians vote for it based on their own narrow and often ignorant opinions and from media pressure – not listening to evidence at all, even to official research reports instigated by themselves.

It seems to me that the Government and thus the BBFC have become heavily influenced by previous events which in no way have any link to our industry, other than the fact that someone with a certain opinion stated that there is, without a shred of knowledge or fact to justify such a claim...