November 4, 2007 -
Consider this item way unofficial at this point, but PSP Updates is reporting on a rumor that Target will stop selling Manhunt 2.Here's what PSP Update wrote in a story posted early this morning:
Reports have come in that Target is pulling Manhunt 2... A member of the Evil Avatar forums, Dr. Finger, said that he got news of an internal memo spreading within the company which states that every branch will stop selling the game and to refuse all future deliveries of the title for all systems.
If true, the move would appear to be in response to bad publicity the game has received in recent weeks. It's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility.
Should Target pull the game, it would seem likely that some other retailers may follow suit.
Indeed, as mentioned in the Evil Avatar post, the Manhunt 2 listing on the Target website says:
This item is available online, but is not available in stores.
Comments
I agree with you but at the same time I think this, if true, could start a dangerous trend toward the banning/pulling of other M rated games. Once you ban on one M rated game it just makes it that much simpler to keep the trend going.
To keep it out of the hands of children is the responsibility of the parents. You don't want them to have it? DON"T BUY IT FOR THEM OR ALLOW THEM TO PURCHASE IT. Parenting 101 - "Parents make the rules, no exceptions".
I wish these "watchdog groups" would stop trying to destroy my rights as a parent.
I would post the report if I didn't have the day off, haha, but I'm sure as hell not going back there on my day off. It sucks.
Do you know if Target has already purchased the game but is refusing it? Or is it that they pay their share when they sell a copy of the game?
I agree with you. This is rapidly turning into "25 to life part two."
My point exactly.
I didn't say he wasn't allowed to have that opinion. But my opinion is shared by the people who wrote reviews for the game. Manhunt tanked, and would be a bargain bin game right now if it wasn't riding on the coat tails of controversy that Thompson and Yee are spreading.
Its so amusing that because of Jack drawing attention to it, that it is in the hands of more minors than it otherwise would have been. Irony is amusing.
I hate posting as Anon. but gotta keep my job. Target is in fact refusing all Manhunt 2 shipments. The DPCI it refers to specifically comes up in the system as the PS2 version.
Here is the Internal Target Memo in all its glory:
11/02/07 Manhunt 2 Shipment
Electronics, Guest Service (Front End), Receiving Chargebacks
Issue 1
Manhunt 2 (207.12.1742) is a new video game releasing this week. It is currently on the way to stores. The game has been identified as having graphic nature and we have decided not to carry this title. The vendor, Take Two Games, has agreed to take back the title.
Action 1
Please REFUSE shipments of Manhunt 2 (207.12.1742). It will be coming direct to store on PO 5208023. DO NOT, in any circumstance, put this title on shelves.
Action Due Date
11/03/2007
mw
How the hell are Target and conservatives or religion for that matter in any why mentioned or even conected with the article? Honestly Pandralisk, you can have some good opinions and insight on matters, all we ask is that you leave your twisted views on religion out of it.
"Whatever is behind the popularity of virtual worlds, it's sure to entice more businesses to follow the lead of IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) and Linden Lab -- the creator of the popular virtual world Second Life -- and become more involved in virtual worlds."
I don't really care. There are hundreds of other places to get the game and the only people losing out here are Target.
I'm starting to think we ought to close Rockstar. The quality of the games they make isn't high enough to offset the PR damage they cause.
One could easily use similar inflammatory statements as the "morally superior" individuals and organizations and state that such retailers are clearly against Freedom of Speech, against the US Constitution, against the First Amendment, against everything that the US Constitution stands for, and in favor of an Anti-American dictatorship, just like those individuals and organizations who falsely and fraudulently claim to be aginst censorship and "only protecting children" when, in fact, their pressure to violate the Rights of citizens of the US is clearly acts of Anti-American forces within the US.
Hey, if they can make all sorts of false inflammatory statements against those who SUPPORT the First Amendment and Freedom of Speech, it only seems fair to make TRUE inflammatory statements against those who are openly AGAINST Freed of Speech, AGAINST the US Constinution, and even AGAINST Parent's Rights to make their OWN decisions regarding their OWN children. They can lie and deceive people all they want, claiming that they offered less severe actions, but their OWN actions PROVE otherwise.
Do retailers have the Right to carry or not carry a product? Of course they do. HOWEVER, when the claimed justification is inconsistant with the carrying of other similar products, one has to wonder what the TRUTH is. Let them make up whatever justification they want. To date, the only TRUE excuse is bowing to Anti-US-Constitution forces attempting to create and Anti-American dictatorship. Let those who are in favor of a dictatorship come to Target's defense all they want. They just show their TRUE stances by lying and deceiving the general public with all sorts of false claims.
As I said, if Target were consistant in its actions, that would be one thing. Not to mention that facts about the content of Manhunt 2 were known months ago, before they started ordering. So, let them cover up with whatever false excuses they can. The Truth, The WHOLE Truth, and Nothing But The Truth will always win out.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Grand Theft Auto 4?
It's not as if they're short a few bob.
If they pull it completely it is a pointless excercise as they will get criticised by their customers for bowing to pressure and in-store censorship.
Talk about hypocritical. Taking the game off the stores will allow them to spout all the family values crap they want while they're still reaping profits selling the game online.
So, is it possible that BestBuy & Futureshop are enforcing an Adults Only rating despite the ESRB recommending M17+?
what they are doing is pulling a double standard and separating manhunt from a group that it really isnt any different from. while its their right to decide what they want to sell and not sell, its really unfair to both rockstar and the consumer if they are going to single out this one game when there are countless other games and movies that share similar content. i may not care for manhunt myself but this is really pushing the line.
For example, when Unreal Tournament 3 comes out later this month, I'll head to Fry's electronics to buy it...
Is Fry's selling it for cheaper?
Really? Every Best Buy / Circuit city / EB games in my local area is all sold out. I ended up having to order it online
Manhunt 2 has no appeal to me in any way. Aside from maybe being able to play a guy who looks like Chester Bennington, it's a stealth game and I hate stealth games. Not even the gory kills as a reward would be enough to make me consider. There are lots of other more worthwhile games out there to spend my time and money on. I'd rather hack and slash monsters in Hellgate: London, blast aliens in the PC port of Gears of War, put one between the eyes of the North Koreans in Crysis, fight with my friends in Team Fortress 2, command intergalactic armies in Universe at War: Earth Assault or duel with Slash in Guitar Hero III than pick up this dreck. It's all about voting with your pocketbook.
I was at the VGXpo yesterday where I got to see Moral Kombat which turned out to be a very good film. At one point someone (I forget who. Henry Jenkins I think) Says that at some point Rockstar will make a game and people will go, "You've gone too far." And they'll say, "OK, we've gone too far." I think this is that point. I'm still all for free speech and I will stand by the right of developers to make whatever game they want, but when a company has to generate publicty in order to sell what turns out to be a bad or mediocre game, I'm not going to support them.
But then I'd be Jack Thompson.
Fry's Electronics has a first-day sale for many items. You have to GO to the store though. For example, I bought Unreal Tournament 2004 for $19 brand new. I'm guessing that the DVD version of Unreal Tournament 3 will come in at $40 or less.
This applies to DVD's as well, especially boxed sets.
Of course, the prices of games do come down eventually, but if you want to get something new and not pay a premium, I have yet to see a store offer something better than what Fry's does.
Note-I do all my shopping at the one in Fremont. You'll just have to go to Fry's on November 19th and find out for yourself.
That tells you one important factor. That no matter how strongly they refuse to sell it to teens, PARENTS will still think it's a kid's toy, and buy it for them anyway.
That tells you one important factor. That no matter how strongly they refuse to sell it to teens, PARENTS will still think it’s a kid’s toy, and buy it for them anyway."
Then return the game, filing an official complaint. It never ceases to amaze me.
Regarding this story specifically, am I to assume the game is unavailable on all platforms, or does that only pertain to its PSP version?
http://tinyurl.com/3ymcs7
Let Target be paranoid (besides they do need to answer to their stockholders which is understandable). Wonder what other retailers that matter to games and gamers are linked to them though.
@ Retro
Tis good that you have not fallen into the pit of doom and becoming a JBT clone. Then we would probably have to shoot you to save you from your misery.
I would imagine if Target decided to pull, for want of a more suitable word, 'better' games then they would hear a public uproar and serious business repercussions, but they must feel they wont lose too much money to make this a financially unsafe move.
that made me laugh, thank you very much.