UK Stores Pull Manhunt

[BigDirty]

A number of games retailers in the UK have refused to continue selling Rockstar title Manhunt, after the game was linked to the brutal murder of a 14 year old by 17 year old Warren Le Banc.

Several tabloid newspapers, including the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror, have run the news as their front page story – with the former proclaiming “Murder by PlayStation”.

Despite claims that Le Banc was “obsessed” by the game, there has so far been no direct evidence that he had any special regard for the title. His use of both a hammer and a knife in his attack though are consistent with the weaponry featured in the title.

Manhunt was released on PlayStation 2 last Christmas and on PC and Xbox in April, when it was given generally favorable reviews, which nevertheless criticized the lack of variety and voiced disquiet at the gratuitous violence.

The game, which has already been banned in New Zealand, has now been pulled from shop shelves by the Dixons and GAME retail chains, but HMV have so far refused to follow suit.

HMV press spokesperson Gennaro Castaldo commented, "If it has been certificated by the relevant bodies, then we don't want to control what people should and shouldn't buy."

[bignick]

It is the parents responsibility to prevent things like this.

[Mr. Anderson]

It is the parents responsibility to prevent things like this.

Correct.

[danny-o]

How anyone could get "possesed" by such a crappy game is beyond me.

[Scorch]

People were doing murders with hammers and knives long before Manhunt was around.

[Skylander7]

I flung a booger on somebody in Elementary School.

Blame it on Boogerman for Sega Genesis

[Noodle Pirate!]

how many 14 year old boys are you required to kill in that game? I dont have it :P
It was over drug money anyway.
You can always sue a game co. for more money then the kids family i guess.

[Squirms]

Any of violence perpretrated by a teenager= Fault of the video game industry.

How many more times do I have to hear this bullshit.

[Thunderscope]

It's true It's True When I was 13 after playing Super Mario Bros, I had a urge to jump on turtles. I used to say die kupas! DIE! When I was 14 after playing bomberman I wanted to throw bombs at people. Videogames are violent, now kids lets go see a movie instead...

[friedram]

I agree, history shows that before video games, there were no world wars, rapes, killings, or anything else.

History also shows that the reason that movies are given ratings is "just because". Movies don't cause violence, only video games do.

Parents just don't want to blame themselves.

[BigHow]

Personally, I blame Donkey Kong. I mean, that's where I learned to hit things with a hammer to solve my problems.

I'm just being snide because BigNick really said everything that needs to be said.

[Graystone]

I hate when they blame video games he said the game did it cause he thinks he will get a lesser sentence the game is 1 or 2 old at least blame a newer game. I look at it like this
I am trying to beat the game I am not happy and loving the fact that I am killing the satisfaction for me is seeing the credits after playing for 8+ hours and deafting a game. not killing people I never have looked at it liked killing even in halo I am just trying to beat my friend not kill him just be better then him in a game.

[punqsux]

while in 90% of the cases parents of kids like this should be more active in their kids lives, this kid was 17, you have to accept the fact that some people are just a waste of flesh and bone, and all the parenting in the world wont do anything

[Reality's Fringe]

Agreed. Whatever happened to the fact that some people are just fucking nuts? Dhamer didn't have any damn videogames.

[Tennisjon2002]

while in 90% of the cases parents of kids like this should be more active in their kids lives, this kid was 17, you have to accept the fact that some people are just a waste of flesh and bone, and all the parenting in the world wont do anything
AGREED!!!

[Mospeada_21]

I wonder which video game I should pin my next speeding ticket on? :roll:

[Scrubking]

Just another example of how we are living in the age of unaccountability. Now combine that with the fact that the media love "blank made me do it" stories and we get... Well I don't know what we get, but it sucks.

[guardian_owl]

I wonder which video game I should pin my next speeding ticket on? :roll:

Well you could blame erradic driving on Burnout :lol:

[Aryss]

This reminds me when TSR got sued for a kid killing himself because his RPG character was killed in a game. Same thing just different type of entertainment since it was in the 80's I believe. I remember when paintball came under attack when I played. It's a matter of perception. I don't picture myself as killing people, just playing a game.

[friedram]

I like the TSR comparison- too true.

[snotknocker]

This kind of stuff inflicts a great deal of damage on me. Damn!.......... Where did i put that healing potion.