Common Sense Media CEO Trashes Manhunt 2; City Hall Press Conference Today

As the Manhunt 2 launch draws near, the hurly-burly over the controversial game shifts to San Francisco where watchdog group Common Sense Media will hold a 10AM press conference at City Hall.

On Friday GamePolitics reported that the organization was urging parents to boycott Manhunt 2. The game is scheduled to arrive in stores tomorrow.

There was a bit of an oops in CSM's Manhunt 2 bashing, however, as GP's Friday coverage pointed out. At least one gory scene detailed by the group - that of a police officer being decapitated by a shovel - apparently came from an early build of Manhunt 2 which was leaked online by an SCEE employee in September. A Rockstar press representative told GP the scene did not appear in the M-rated retail version of the game.

At today's press conference in San Francisco, CSM will be showing video clips from the leaked version. From the CSM press release:

Common Sense downloaded a version of the game that is available online, and will be showing illustrative clips of that version to the press a day before the official title is scheduled to hit stores on Wednesday.

GP asked CSM if the location of the press conference at City Hall indicated that the San Francisco government was somehow getting involved, but a CSM representative nixed the idea. However, another source told GamePolitics that SF Mayor Gavin Newsome's press secretary is a former Common Sense Media employee.