It seems to me rockstar may be just pushing the boundaries for the sake of it. I'm sure they expected the game to get these sorts of ratings.

Two week old article but it's definitely relevant as far as how the media are going to go after this game when it's close to release.

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/manhunt-2-on-wii-a-concern-for-florida-attorney-general/

Fox News also spoke with Jack Thompson, who sent a letter to McCollum and Florida Governor Charlie Crist about the game. A portion of the letter says, "Florida retailers are scheduled to sell a very violent video game called Manhunt 2 which will be available, remarkably, for "play" on the kids-friendly Nintendo Wii gaming platform ... [it] utilizes hand-held motion capture devices... It is a training device."

Here's where it gets good. According to GamePolitics sources, McCollum will not be focusing on the PS2 or PSP version ... only the Wii.

Story is being held back till the release of the game is closer and then Fox will be going with it.

I think this could be Rockstar playing the hype game. Release a version of Manhunt 2 so extreme it gets an AO rating, get the media exposure, than take a less extreme, though still extreme, version of the game, it gets rerated as M. People will know that this game, while edited to an M, is still the most grusome and violent game ever made. Maybe even Rockstar releases the AO version to places that will sell it, like Amazon.

Even though i love the thought of an imersive version of MHII for the Wii, I can't help but think that Nintendo will suffer a big hit in their secure fan-base. That fan-base being the average parental buyer. Nintendo's 20+ year history has been primarily making games for children and family based consumers. I'd even go as so far to say that it's becuase of these buyers that Nintendo has survived this long. When times looked bleek for nintendo in the 64/GC era it was those family consumers that kept the nintendo brand alive.
Now, even though this game may bring some new attention to the wii, it may also bring a great concern to nintendo's prime fanbase. After all, they have been very successful in advertising the Wii as a "family console". All of their advertising has dipicted the wii game played by the stereotypical 4 member family.
I think that Nintendo needs to think about the impact this game will have on their sales in the longrun. They should really just return to their, already successful, old playbook and that's focusing on their core audience, the "family".

Meh, one game won't make a difference. Parents and kids could just ignore it.

parents and kids may initially ignore it, but the media and the goverment officials are going to slight it.  and in doing so, will make parents aware that the brand (Nintendo) that they trusted to bring them the quality of games they've come to expect for the past 20 years, has allowed a game like MHII to become available on a platform engineered, in their minds, for kids.

And the way in which you play game only makes it easier for goverment officials to question and ban it.  and as for the US, this may be the game that pulls the trigger on that law that would allow congress to oversee the rating of videogames in the states.

they have tried it before and if the government gets control of the rating system it will be the end of creative gaming freedom, mark my words.

the wii has parental controls anyway. if a parent doesnt care enough to turn on the parental controls and stop their kid from playing the game, then its there fault for not taking the necessary action to do it.

a parent should know that a game rated M or AO isnt intended for a minor. a parent shouldnt rely on the politicians or the government to tell them that. they should use their common sense and realize it for themselves

Hmmmm, what if they just canceled the Wii version? Isn't most of the protest because it's on the Wii and you can move your arms around to 'actually simulate cutting somebody's head off!'. Then they could port it to the 360 or something. Then again, aren't the PS3 and 360 going to get their own version (but not exactly Manhunt 2)?

yes they should, unfortunatly we as a society don't like to take any form of responsability.  It always ends up being someone elses fault, like the endless random excuses like: it was the drugs, it was the alcohol, it was the environment, it goes on and on.  People too often portray themselves as the victim therefor eliminating any chance of recieving some of the blame.

i agree that parents are to blame. but getting them to admit that will never happen. its never their fault

its true that the wii will recieve all the blame, for their inovative control sceme.  this creates a very imersive form of gamming, but swinging a sword to kill a shadow demon (Zelda) and decapitating a random victim with a butchers knife are two very different things.  the PSP and PS2 versions  are not going to recieve nearly the amount of hate mail that nintendo will, if any at all.

as for a 360/PS3 release, havent heard of one yet.