U.K. retailer pulls video game after teen murder
 

Britain's biggest electronics chain, Dixons, pulled the graphically violent video game "Manhunt" from its shops Thursday after parents of a teenage murder victim blamed the game for the killing of their son.

The game, in which the player takes on the role of a convicted murderer ordered by a demented film director to kill people in as gruesome a fashion as possible, has stirred controversy even among fans of violent videos.

It awards extra points to players for carrying out murders in a particularly extreme and bloody way, while victims plead to be spared on behalf of their wives and children.

The parents of Stefan Pakeerah, 14, called this week for "Manhunt" to be banned after a 17-year-old admitted inviting their son into a park and murdering him.

Warren Le Blanc, a fan of the game, admitted he beat the younger teen to death with a claw hammer and stabbed him repeatedly with a knife. He could face life in prison.

"I didn't intend to kill him at first, but when I saw the blood I just let go and hit more times," he told police.

Stefan's father Patrick, 41, said: "Stefan's murder compares to how the game is set out, using weapons like hammers and knives. If games like this influence kids, they should be taken off the shelves."

The game is published by Rockstar Games, a division of New York's Take-Two Interactive Software known for its line-up of violent games like the hugely popular "Grand Theft Auto" series, which sees players run wild in high-speed crime sprees.

No comment from the company was immediately available.

A spokeswoman for Dixons said it was taking the game off the shelves of all 1,000 stores in the group which includes Dixons, Curry's and PC World with immediate effect due to the uproar.

The game has an "18" rating from Britain's film board, which means it should not be sold to minors.

In a generally favorable review on the Web site TotalVideoGames.com, the reviewer wrote: "It has to be the most violent yet realistic videogame we've played" and described its "ability to unhinge the player and make you feel disturbed."

Another Web site, Game Zone Online, gave it an 8 out of 10 score for "solid game play" but wrote: "Kids under 17 should not be allowed anywhere around this game, and it contains some of the most disgusting killings that I have seen either in movies or in a game."

you should change your name to CNN. you have more news than they do.

Blame blame blame. Parents always looking for someone else to blame.

ummm aprt form guns - aren't these the usual weapons of choice anyway?
fucking lame

Yeah really. Its like saying they should ban driving games because people have car accident similar to what you see in the game.

Whats going to happen next... A drunk Ricer ended up Killing someone lets ban Need For Speed Underground!!!

of course, dont worry about guns everywhere, blame the video games.

i hope the mom dies tomorrow.

these people who blame video games really need to be put down.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

The government here in Germany confiscated the game already a few days ago ..

We are heading straight back to a Reich full of censorship .. :helpme

YEAH but great ole' AMERICA says.. fuck you buddy, were not pulling shit, the sales of manhunt have Shoot thur the roof here in New York, kids are out now buyin' bootlegg copys because Toys 'R US are Fuckin' SOLD OUT !! gotta' love this country :Graucho

yeah , but there is a difference between confiscating a game and not selling it to minors ..

I am 30 and can not buy this game legally if I want to ..

kids are buying bootleg copies cos they are cheaper and their pocketmoney goes further :glugglug

true, but NOT all bootlegg copys work in game systems, i got stuck with 3 games myself and my xbox spit'em right out, each game cost $5.00 thats $15.00 i could have put towards the real thing. nite of the living dead cost me $28.00 from a pawn shop. i made copys for a few friends of mines and only 4 copys came out okay. the rest of the 12 were shitless. didn't show up on the game systems. :mad:

Anyone buying bootleg games usually knows that you're required to chip your system in order to play the burned discs.

You should have done some research instead of posting rehashed news stories. :winkwink:

I was watching this on the news recently.
What pisses me off more is that it's not the games alone that cause kids to do these fucked up things, its the complete lack of parenting that these kids receive.

And btw its an ok game.. I expected better from Rockstar to say the least.. GTA 4 - Hurrah!

tired of people blaming movies,games etc for the fucked up kids they have. Sure you hear it all the time " I know my kid he was never like that" BULLSHIT most cases kids just dont crack up that fast they have either been fucked up from the start and hid it well or the parents arent really paying attention to their kids. But they will argue you to death saying that have been close to their children. Some parents cant take the thought that their kid was a fucked up headcase from birth.