Just before we start - PLEASE keep this thread in good taste and spare a thought for those involved. Just want to discuss the issue at hand.
Ok so I'm sure we've all heard the news. 17 year old Warren Leblanc has pleaded guilty to brutaly murdering his 14 year old friend Stefan Pakeerah in apparent cold blood in a style supposedly similar to those portrayed in Manhunt.
Several stores have pulled the game from shelves including Game where I work. We got an e-mail in saying to pull the game and that we were not to sell it under any circumstances due to the media frenzy surrounding the title. Technicially I probably shouldn't even be posting here as we were told not to speak to the media but I'm part time and tbh couldn't care less.
Leblanc was supposedly "obsessed" with the game and his parents have stated that the game was probably his guide for the murder. He himself has pleaded guilty but I don't think he has commented on the game.
First and most obvious point. Why did a seventeen year old have the game? Yes fair point basically everyone from the ages of 10 and up has Vice City et al for their PS2 but that is a problem that should be addressed. Age ratings are basically pointless because I've lost count of the number of little kids who I say I won't sell a game to run and grab a parent to get it for them. I'll admit when I was younger I owned a lot of games that I shouldn't have had but I do now realise there is a reason to the system existing. (and I'm not just refering to this isolated incident)
I won't sell a game to someone who is underage but it IS illegal to supply an 18 rated title to a minor. This just isn't enforced at all. I have no problem with 14 or 15 + kids watching/playing them because they can handle the content but when the likes of a 7 year old gets Freddy Vs. Jason on DVD bought for them? Don't think so.
Was it right to pull the game? In this case I think it probably was. IMO that game shouldn't have even been made for several reasons. The context of the game itself, a snuff movie, is illegal so that in itself is questionable. I have played the game and it just didn't make me want to continue and finish it. The killings really were the most graphic violence I have ever seen in a videogame and the fact that you were rewarded for being more vicious and brutal doesn't really say much for it.
Don't get me wrong though. I'm not part of the PC brigade who want every single video game banned because they are a curse on the earth and are destroying the youth of today. I love computer games and have no problems with most violence in them but Manhunt is the one game that I feel has definately stepped over the line. The game itself wasn't that good I thought and it just sold on the merits of its violence.
The one thing that totally amazed me tonight in work was the dumbass chavs who came in and asked "here mate do you have that there game manhunt? saw it on the news and wanted to try it". First and foremost I was surprised they even watched the news but they just wanted to see how violent it was. A guy in work joked that they probably already have stabbed half a dozen people anyway...
What are your thoughts guys?