Take-Two: SCEE Employee Leaked Manhunt 2

Following the twist in the Manhunt 2 ratings debacle when an uncensored PlayStation 2 review version of the game was leaked, Take-Two has confirmed that an SCEE employee admitted to being responsible and has since been fired. The game was originally planned for a summer debut on Wii and PS2, but hit trouble June when the ESRB gave it an AO rating, and the UK's BBFC officially declined to rate the game entirely, effectively blocking the release of the game in both regions. In the midst of the on-going efforts to get the ratings appealed, an early version of the PlayStation 2 game was leaked, containing all of the uncensored and uncut "visceral killing" that brought the harsh ratings. Now, according to a new report on GamePolitics, publisher Take-Two has verified that a former Sony employee was reponsible for the leak, and has since been let go. Said the publisher, "Take-Two Interactive has confirmed that a former employee of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has acknowledged his responsibility for the unauthorized online distribution of an unrated play-test version of Manhunt 2 submitted for the European PAL PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system." A new version of the game, which retains but darkens and blurs most of the title's graphic violence, is now expected to make a Halloween debut on both consoles in the US. Its UK re-rating and release continues to be in appeal.