Dan Houser of Rockstar Games sat down with The Telegraph and said that he enjoys the fact that video games have not been given as much respect as TV or film despite being a similar artform. Why? It's all in the full article.

A rather questionable report from Germany-based Games Blog posted several images of Rockstar Games supposedly testing a working Grand Theft Auto game for the Wii.

My excitement at the news was only drowned out by the hundreds of owls that suddenly flew into the office all hooting "O RLY?"

Effective immediately, Take-Two COO Gary Dale is now "former COO" of the company. It was only six months ago that he assumed the position, and now he's cleared his desk and left.

This is it, Game of the Year. No quantifiers, no excuses. Our team looks at the year gone by and decides which games they feel stood head and shoulders above the rest. Considering '08 has been a banner year for gaming, it wasn't easy.

It's time recognise those developers that really helped make this year something special for all of us gamers. A lot of hard work, sweat, dedication and long hours go into making the games we play, so here are a few words from us at QJ to say thanks, and keep up the good work.

So who made the list? Who makes your list? Let us know after the jump.

You wanna see M-rated games on the Wii? Buy Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars when it comes out. According to Take-Two, they're using the game to see whether games with mature themes are suited for the platform.

Rockstar Games, the studio behind the Grand Theft Auto series, have signed in a new long-term contract with publisher Take-Two Interactive. Guess studios like Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard lost their chance to nab the Houser brothers.

Ever since Manhunt 2 (PSP, Wii) was refused a rating by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), its producer Rockstar Games has been fighting on all fronts to defend its game and  the company itself against unfair criticism. In reaction to an article posted last month by Rob Fahey of GamesIndustry.biz, Rockstar wrote back to voice out its opinion on Fahey's support for banning the game and on the controversy surrounding its video game.

Rockstar defended the gore in Manhunt 2 on the grounds that with the average gamer aging around 30 or so, its players are mature enough to define the lines between reality and fiction, much like the way they do when confronted with gore in other forms of media.

Rockstar also said that banning the game does not help the video game industry improve itself. Rather, it defeats the purpose by denying people "the chance to consider, experience, or discuss the actual game." It also believed that "A ban is only likely to encourage those who believe video games, already the most regulated medium in entertainment history, should be further restricted." That kind of rigidity would spell death for any creative endeavor.

Manhunt 2 is the second game to be banned in this fashion in the UK. The last game to experience this was Carmageddon way back in 1997, although its developers were able to successfully appeal the decision. With a situation like this one, we do have to ask the question: Did Rockstar really step over the line or are the media boards just overreacting?

Rockstar's full letter on GamesIndustry.biz can be found on the Read link.

 

Take-Two Interactive Software has temporarily suspended their plans to distribute Manhunt 2 in the wake of the game's current pariah status among game retailers, console companies, and ratings groups.

According to Reuters, the company has "temporarily suspended" distribution plans for Manhunt 2 as it reviews its options following the game's banning in the UK and its subsequent "Adults Only" rating in America. In addition to the UK banning of the game, Sony and Nintendo follow a policy of not allowing playback of Adults Only titles on their platforms, essentially killing the game upon release in its current state.

Said Take-Two in a statement, "We continue to stand behind this extraordinary game. We believe in freedom of creative expression, as well as responsible marketing, both of which are essential to our business of making great entertainment."

Following this, Take-Two's options are limited to releasing the game in its current state for the PC, reworking the game to remove its AO rating, or dropping the game outright. Chances are though, they'll rework the game to move the rating into more profitable territory. While the hoopla behind the game's release may have brought public scrutiny on the game, gamers are definitely more aware of the game now, especially following the game's favorable review on NGamer. Hopefully, Rockstar Games will be able to keep the game's important nuances intact whilst making it more ratings-friendly.

Despite getting banned in some European countries and earning an "Adults Only" rating in the U.S., Take-Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick stated that all that Rockstar Games did with Manhunt 2 was make a horror game that "fits squarely within the horror genre" as it was intended to, and added that "it brings a unique, formerly unheard of cinematic quality to interactive entertainment, and is also a fine piece of art."

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter wants to remind Strauss and Take-Two that "art" is not everything when it comes to making games.

This is one of the tasks ahead of new management, to rein in that creative talent and tell those guys we are in the business of making money and you should make games that will sell, not games that are artistically beautiful but not available at Wal-Mart.

Indeed, financial troubles may very well aggravate Take-Two's already precarious monetary standing. The company's revenue last year amounted to US$ 1 billion, and Manhunt 2 is expected to net about US$ 40 million, which will be cut in half should Manhunt 2 sustain its "Adults Only" rating. If it did get a "Mature" rating after they censor the game, then the revenue will be lessened to about US$ 35 billion.

An "Adults Only" rating will mean that most major retail stores will not have Manhunt 2 in their shelves, including Wal-Mart. ESRB said that the rating can be appealed or the game modified to earn a "Mature" rating. However, Rockstar did not release any statements whether it will do anything in regard to the rating the ESRB issued the game.

The speculation that video games cause violent behavior has not been proven, but the fact that it will hurt Manhunt 2's sales cannot be denied. Despite the supposed July 10 release date, both Sony and Nintendo have announced that they will not support the game if it will keep its newly-earned "AO" rating.