Random Bob Dylan song reference aside, are the days of the BBFC soon to be up in regards to games classification in the UK? According to MCV it is! Following the Manhunt 2 affair which saw the BBFC refuse the game classification, but then get overruled by its own appeals body it seems that the BBFC is facing an uncertain future in games rating here in the UK.

The MCV article mentions that some commentators think that following this disaster for the BBFC it has lost credibility and that DR Tanya Byron is due to give her support to PEGI, the European rating board in her report due to be published soon.

It will certainly be interesting to see if the BBFC can recover from the Manhunt 2 affair and regain credibility. The PEGI rating system which currently rates games accross Europe is, in my eyes the better system offering clearer advice to parents on what different games contain.

However the PEGI ratings are not currently enforceable under law at the moment in the UK and it will be interesting to see what happens if the BBFC is forced out of the games rating scene.

It has emerged (according to GameSpot) that the release of Manhunt 2 in the UK has been put on hold again following a High Court Ruling. Judge Mitting overruled the Video Appeals Committee decision to allow Manhunt 2 to be released.

Following the VAC’s decision to allow the game to be released the BBFC took the case to the High Court and this led to the ruling from Judge Mitting. He said that the VAC had to judge whether Manhunt 2 could cause ‘potential harm and risk of harm’ to children rather than basing their judgment on actual harm.

Mitting then went on to say that the VAC must reclassify the game based on the new factors that he has brought to their attention.

It seems that this protracted case is drawing to an end and will most likely result in Manhunt 2 not being released in the UK. While the game may not have received great critical response it will be a shame for the game not to appear on UK shelves.

Finally the thought must be raised that this ruling is going to have an effect on many future releases. If the VAC and BBFC have to classify games based on potential harm to children I expect to see many future games be banned from release in the UK. Time will tell whether a dangerous precedent has been set.