Computer Game Banned

Ok this news is a bit dated but what can you do? So for the first time ever, the Irish Film Censor's Office has banned the release of a computer game, Manhunt 2, for being "bleak, callous, and encouraging visceral killing". It's also been banned the UK. Now first of all, balls to the censorship but that's another story for another day.

What I'd like to point out is the effect that banning this game could possibly have. First of all, I or anyone I'd spoken to on the subject, had never heard of Manhunt nevermind it's imminent sequel. So while banning this game may have stopped casual purchases of the game, I know it would have passed under a lot of people's radars had it not become a national story. But instead it's been featured in 4 separate stories on rte.ie which include numerous links to the developer's website, containing trailers et al. for the game.

Anyone who originally wanted the game will have no problem getting their hands on a copy, be it abroad or online. And now all the publicity received by the decision to ban the game will surely spur the interest of many parties, gaming nerds and yours truly included, and I'd dare say that the business received on the basis of this free advertisement may outweigh the business lost on casual purchases by banning the game. It serves the censors right, fascists.

Who was it that said there's no such thing as bad publicity? Give that man a can of coke.