Yes, Manhunt 2 is has been given the black spot, a.k.a. the dreaded Adults Only (AO) rating.

Already banned in U.K., and facing the same treatment in Australia and Italy, the AO rating is effectively a ban for a videogame in America. No major traditional retailer will sell AO games, period. This includes Walmart, Target, Gamespot, and most other national games outlets. Worse yet, neither Sony Computer Entertainment America, nor Nintendo America, will license their hardware to an AO game in the U.S.. Manhunt 2 was slated to be released on the PS2 and Wii.

As an aside, I saw plenty of adult-oriented PlayStation games on shelves when I lived in Japan, and Nintendo used to actually run love hotels. Neither of these companies have a "pure" track record, but both quake in fear at the notion of government regulation. So much so that they censor themselves... in free speech circles we call this the "chilling effect."

The hypocrisy is astounding, to me. Films like, The Hills Have Eyes, which features rape, murder, mutilation, and torture (in abundance) get an "R" rating and are available for rent or purchase at your neighborhood Blockbuster, but if the same graphic content was in a game, it would receive an AO, the equivalent of an NC-17 rating in film.

I do not advocate harsher regulation for other media. I stand behind the notion that books shouldn't be rated, and they aren't. Anyone can purchase books with the aforementioned content at any age. I simply wish to point out the lack of equal treatment of the mediums and suggest a very simple theory. Film and books are considered art, and videogames are not. The ESRB and many politicians seem to view games as toys, media for children. As such, they are easily regulated.

Personally, I stand behind the axiom that the answer to undesirable speech is more speech. If you don't like a game, don't buy it. Convince others not to buy it. Teach your kids that your family doesn't take part in this kind of speech. Once you start opening the doors to banning speech, it's only a matter of time before you find something you hold dear to be terribly offensive to another, and that other seeks to ban your speech.

As far as Manhunt 2 is concerned, it will not see a console release until it manages to censor itself down to a Mature rating. However, this doesn't mean it can't be released on the PC. Vivendi released two versions of Liesure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, one M and one AO. The M was on consoles and the PC, the AO version was a PC exclusive. Manhunt 2 may still have a fighting chance to see an unedited retail release, albeit unlikely.