On November 19, 2003, Rockstar North released the survival horror game Manhunt, and a new documentary has been released which discusses some of the history of the game, especially the controversy surrounding it. In this day and age, Rockstar is considered one of the biggest studios in the industry, despite media backlash over the years. The developer has released hit after hit, producing some of the most critically acclaimed games to ever grace a console or PC, and most know the company for the GTA series.

Of course, Grand Theft Auto is where all the controversy started, from as far back as the first entry which came out in 1997. The maiden release was the subject of much sensationalism, particularly from concerned non-gamers and the tabloid press, but it evidently didn't stop the series from becoming one of the most notable in all of gaming. It's not just GTA, but even lesser known, though still highly praised, games like Bully were the subject of heavy media debate around the concept of violence in video games. But none of Rockstar's IPs come close to the controversy that Manhunt left in its wake.

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In a new documentary uploaded to YouTube, the channel GVMERS gives some insight into this gruesome game's history, which is still considered to be one of the most contentious titles Rockstar has ever unleashed. For those who aren't aware, Manhunt revolves around a death row inmate named James Earl Cash. Before his execution, he is unexpectedly released, but with one caveat. He is being watched by The Director, who's making a snuff film and wishes to employ Cash to engage in sadistic violence towards other thugs. The game came to fruition after the studio's co-founder, Sam Houser, expressed interest in making a horror title, but one without zombies, vampires, or the usual tropes.

The documentary outlines some of the issues people had with Manhunt. As well as the graphic violence, with influences coming from Stanley Kubrick's formerly banned A Clockwork Orange, Rockstar's title was also blamed for a murder that took place in 2004 in the UK. While it's gone down as one of the most controversial video games of all time, it was concluded that there was no evidence linking the horrific crime to Manhunt. There was even a sequel released in 2007, which was also met with a similar amount of ire from the public.

However, time has moved on and Rockstar's reputation is as high as ever. With Grand Theft Auto 6 now in development, the series has evidently survived any media backlash despite depictions of violence and controversial themes. While a new Manhunt game or maybe a remake is unlikely at this stage, the documentary expresses a belief that now would be a good time to see the game make a return, especially as controversy is not something the industry seems to shy away from these days.

Manhunt is available on PC, PS2, and Xbox.

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Source: Bloody Disgusting