Manhunt 2, as an M-rated game on the PSP, PS2 and Wii, was very poorly received when it went out in 2007. While Rockstar hasn't specified what's going out in the super-duper adult version, it's my hunch that "adult" here doesn't mean what it means on pay-per-view. But there will be plenty of bodies.

AO-Rated Version of Manhunt 2 PC Coming Next Week via Download [Big Download via Joystiq]

Now, two years after release, it seems Rockstar are willing to give the game one more chance, and release it uncut, as was originally unintended. The game has returned to the ESRB's website with its "Adults Only" rating restored, only this time bound for the PC instead of a console.

With Rockstar's titles already available on digital delivery services like Steam, a PC download release of the game in its uncut form wouldn't be too bad an idea. Not like it's going to lose them any money.

ESRB rates 'AO' version of Manhunt 2 for PC [Joystiq]

In fact, only 500 of these figures were made (this is 129 of 500). How much would you pay for this bit of bloody gaming schwag?

Manhunt Piggsy Limited Edition Statue Figure RARE [eBay]

The whole thing is time limited and may very well not be offered in the country of your choosing. For the lucky bargain hunters, have at it.

Rockstar Games [Steam]

http://www.destructoid.com/jack-thompson-tells-me-to-rape-a-child-advocating-molestation-is-not-cool-75534.phtm

What kind of deals? How about both Max Payne games for $13.45 US? No? What about every GTA PC game for $26.95? If bundling is your thing, you may want to check out the Rockstar Collection, which features ten titles for the price of one (give or take). It's fun and financially sound.

Rockstar Games On Steam [Steam]

ROCKSTAR GAMES ON STEAM

Rockstar Games' Catalog 10% Off During Launch Week

January 4, 2008 - Rockstar Games, the publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and Valve announce an agreement to launch Rockstar Games' entire PC catalog on Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games and digital content with over 13 million accounts around the world.

Starting today, gamers may purchase Rockstar Games' titles, including the complete Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne series plus Manhunt and Midnight Club II. To celebrate the launch, Rockstar is offering all its Steam games for a 10% discount during launch week.

The Rockstar games now available on Steam include:

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto III
Grand Theft Auto II
Grand Theft Auto
Midnight Club II
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Max Payne
Manhunt
Wild Metal Country

"We were immediately excited by the opportunity to offer our PC catalog via Steam because it allows us to reach out to gamers around the world in exciting new ways," said Rowan Hajaj, Head of Finance and Corporate Development of Rockstar Games. "We are continually looking for ways to give back to our fans and this collaboration will give people a chance to easily revisit some of our greatest titles."

"Rockstar Games brings some of most viscerally engaging games the industry has ever witnessed to Steam's expansive library of titles," says Jason Holtman, director of Steam business development. "We're delighted to provide a place where gamers across the globe can discover all the fine work Rockstar Games has produced."

For more information about Rockstar Games on Steam, please visit www.steamgames.com/v/index.php?publisher=rockstar

About Steam
The leading online platform for PC games and digital entertainment, Steam delivers new releases and online services to over 13 million PC users around the world. For more information, please visit www.steamgames.com

Hickey also points to "opportunities" in the GameDaily BIZ report, such as sequels to Red Dead Revolver, Max Payne and a theoretical Grand Theft Auto MMO as nice-to-haves. Maybe I'll just buy them and expense it.

Take-Two Acquisition Looming, Predicts Analyst [GameDaily.biz]

Two of my good friends and colleagues have put up thoughtful pieces on their respective blogs about how we play videogames. On Level Up, N'Gai posted a column about how our saved game files are actually worth more than a $60 game. N'Gai calculates that his Mass Effect saved game is worth $122.10. His point: We should back up our saved games more often. And at MTV's Multiplayer Blog, Stephen Totilo posted a fascinating essay on how Rockstar's removal of the scoring system in Manhunt 2 changed the way he played through the final version. Was Stephen a tamer killer with scoring or without? Go find out!

Level Up Expansion Pack
Multiplayer Blog on Manhunt 2 Scoring System

...we feel we kept the original vision and the content and we didn't neuter the game as people say we have...

As mentioned before, cut scenes have been blurred in the goriest of places. But the bigger change was the deletion of a kill score meter that was included in the original Manhunt, rewarding players for the most brutal of executions. Barrera feels the score meter helped the flow of the game and that the deletion of this feature was an "opportunity" generated by the ESRB edits, but we're left wondering if that's the entire story, and if not, why the ESRB would allow a feature one time around or not the other—and if "package deal" game editing is part of negotiations.

'Manhunt 2' Developer Finally Talks About Game, Ratings Controversy — Much As It Pains Him [mtv]

I downloaded Super Stardust HD from the PlayStation Store last night, impressions of which will follow later in the day. Following a discussion with N'Gai Croal of Level Up fame over drinks and Madden NFL 08, I have a renewed interest in revisiting Manhunt. Yes, I may have been in my cups at the time, perhaps too deep, but I'm pretty sure I told Croal that I considered the Rockstar Games splatterfest one of the most important console games of the previous generation. I should reevaluate that with a bit more playtime, me thinks.

And you? What are you playing this weekend? Anyone got E3 Fever yet?

Strauss Zelnick at Take-Two had explained to him:

This is still animation. It's not photo-realistic. It's not live action. And compared to an R-rated movie, which is intended for 17 and above, like 'Saw' or 'Hostel,' it's actually pretty tame. But you make your own conclusions when you play the game.

After playing the game, the NYT writer commented that, "(He) did not find Manhunt 2 particularly frightening or sickening, more like a violent interactive cartoon", but he did completely agree with the game being rated as Adults Only. Then Schiesel took Zelnick's advice by comparing it to Hostel and Saw II which the writer rented. The outcome? In Schiesel's words:

Banning the original version of Manhunt 2 may be a good way to demonstrate that the industry can police itself. Side-by-side, though, movies seem to be way ahead of games in delivering top-notch gore.

Couldn't have said it any better myself. Kim Phu

Gore Galore but a Violent Game Can't Hold a Gutbucket to the Movies [NYT]

I know that E3 is right around the corner, but I think if I keep putting off this first ever Game Club it may never come to fruition. So lets get this thing going.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you probably want to read this first. I still haven't come up with all of the details, but I have decided that what we will most likely do is include a limited number of people in the discussions in our Campfire room (a sort of big, secure chat room) and that we will then post the outcome of the chat in Kotaku for the rest of the readers to continue the discussion in. More details on how we will decide who gets in the door once we get going.

I suspect once we work the kinks out we will be choosing the game to feature in the Game Club, but for this first one ever I decided to would be nice to run a short poll to see which game you want featured. Hit the jump to vote and make sure you check out the three PC titles on the list, whether we pick them or not, they're all worth a play. Brian Crecente

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Joel Parker writes of his foray into cybersquatting with the post [There was a small chance that] ROCKSTAR GAMES AND TAKE TWO INTERACTIVE [could have] SUED ME.

Shortly after Manhunt 2 was announced, Parker decided to register www.manhunt3.com and then promptly forgot about it... until an attorney with Take Two contacted him and pointed out the registration was a trademark violation.

After a bit of research, Parker contacted them to transfer over the domain. They paid him his costs and threw in a bag o swag as a thank you. The freebies included three t-shirts, a grey pullover, a knitted cap and a coffee mug with a district Japanese design on it and the Rockstar logo.

So if you want free Rockstar swag go register Manhunt 5 or some such and wait for the email. Brian Crecente

[There was a small chance that] ROCKSTAR GAMES AND TAKE TWO INTERACTIVE [could have] SUED ME [Gameoftheblog]

Rockstar Games doesn't know how to court controversy? Ha! With its upcoming snuff-stealth game Manhunt 2 hitting this summer, the company has already kicked its PR machine into gear. Ben Kuchera at Opposable Thumbs received a letter from the Dixmor Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Inside, were two bloody medical bracelets and a letter that read:

Enclosed are Danny Lamb and Leo Kasper's ID bracelets found discarded after last night's incident. This is the only potentially damning evidence we have found so far. I trust every possible precaution will be taken to ensure that any records relating to these patients are destroyed.

We are all too aware that both subjects pose a highly serious threat to society, let alone the very existence of "The Project." Both patients suffer sever psychotic episodes characterized by intense paranoia, involuntary psychotic reactions, delusional hallucinations and acute schizophrenic disorders...

We HAVE to track them down.

-Dr. Whyte

Rockstar knows how to promote titles? Definitely. Brian Ashcraft

[Opposable Thumbs, via PSP Updates, Thanks Jason!]

On the game front, I'm still slowly working my way through Metroid Prime 2 and Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, but may find some time to get in a bit of Resistance: Fall of Man multiplayer. Anyone want to go a few rounds? My copy of the Nintendo DS guitar non-game should have arrived during my absence. In addition to all that digital fun, I'm still playing the real life game of piecing together my surround sound system and dealing with the technical limitations of my cable box (and my brain).

So, what's it gonna be? What in the bloody hell are you playing this weekend? Michael McWhertor

Wired has an excellent piece up on the current state of fear surrounding violent video games in Germany and the nation's efforts to ban content that doesn't mesh with its modern pacifist streak. Not unlike North American politicians, a number of German pols are looking to increase limitations on the sale of violent video games, an agenda they want to spread continent-wide to other members of the European Union.

Germany is no stranger to effectively banning games with objectionable violent content, as the software ratings board has denied ratings in the past to games like Dead Rising and Gears of War. Games like Manhunt and Counter-Strike are often blamed for societal ills and violent outbursts in European youth.

Sensible course of action to protect children or the work of agenda driven, headline grabbing politicians? Surely there must be some middle ground between government regulation and free-for-all skull splitting game access by 8-year olds. Michael McWhertor

German Past Haunts Gamers' Future [Wired]

Game development is being handled by the newly formed Rockstar London with a little help from the original Manhunt team, Rockstar North. Wii porting duties will be helmed by Rockstar Toronto (The Warriors). We'll assume that Rockstar Leeds will handle the PSP version, as their expertise lies in the handheld arena.

As a huge Manhunt fan/sadist, this is nearing the top of my most wanted list for 2007. One can only imagine the exciting new ways in which the Wii controller will be used to brutally and flamboyantly murder the dozens of street toughs your character is forced to exterminate. Stabbing thugs in the virtual eye with a shard of glass via Wiimote? I'm in heaven! Michael McWhertor

Rockstar Games announces Manhunt 2 for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, and the Wii

New York, NY - February 6, 2007 - Rockstar Games, the world-renowned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce Manhunt 2 for the PlayStation 2 system, PSP system, and Nintendo's Wii . Manhunt 2 is the debut title from the newly formed Rockstar London studio, which is developing the game in conjunction with series creator Rockstar North. The Wii version is being developed by Rockstar Toronto. Manhunt 2 will be available this summer.

"With Manhunt 2 we have tried to create a game that stays close to the original concept of chilling suspense and stealth, whilst pushing the game design and storytelling forward," said Sam Houser, founder and executive producer of Rockstar Games. "We are also excited to have our newest development team, Rockstar London, working on the title alongside our two established UK studios, Rockstar North and Leeds."

For more information on Manhunt 2 please visit www.rockstargames.com.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation game console, PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Xbox and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Wii , Nintendo GameCube , Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K and 2K Sports, and Global Star Software; and distributes software, hardware and accessories in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

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