You would expect Rockstar to properly remove controversial content from their games after all the trouble "Hot Coffee" caused them.
Back in 2004, game modders discovered a sexual minigame that has been disabled in GTA: San Andreas and a little tweak called "Hot Coffee" was created to unlock it. Take-Two and Rockstar were later charged by the Federal Trade Commission and a number of other entities for failing to disclose the content, and the company's settlement with the FTC provided for a possible $11,000 fine per infraction to be levied against Take-Two for future "Hot Coffee"-style incidents.
Yesterday, PSP hackers did the same thing with the PSP version of Manhunt 2. They unlocked some of the Adults Only content that Rockstar had to remove from the game to reduce its rating from AO to M.
The "hack" however did not activate some disabled content this time, but rather removed the noise and blur filters that obscured ultra-violent murders.
Rockstar released an official statement:
"Multiple edits were made to revise Manhunt 2 for its M-rated version."
"Hackers apparently have altered one of those edits to produce an illegally modified version of the game that can only be played on an unauthorized, modified PlayStation Portable handheld system."
"All of the game material, and especially these specific edits, was submitted to and reviewed by the ESRB in accordance with requirements regarding disclosure that were enacted two years ago and any contrary suggestion is inaccurate and irresponsible."
Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick said, "I stand behind the game and the ESRB ratings process. It is unfortunately the case that no one in the entertainment software industry is immune from hacking. We hope that consumers will not engage in hacking or download illegally modified copies of our games. We encourage them to enjoy our games as they are meant to be played. We would also like to emphasize that Manhunt 2 is intended for an audience aged 17 and above."
