New York - Days after the game was banned in both Britain and Ireland, Take-Two Interactive's violent "Manhunt 2" game has been given a preliminary rating of "AO" (Adults Only) by the U.S. Entertainment Ratings Software Board (ESRB) -- meaning it will not be stocked on most major game retailers' shelves, GamePolitics.com reported.

Wal-Mart and other major retailers refuse to stock games with "AO" ratings.

The ESRB does have an appeals process for ratings it establishes, which Take-Two said in a statement that it may explore.

"'Manhunt 2' was created for mature audiences and we strongly believe it should receive an M (Mature) rating, aligning it with similar content created in other forms of media. We are exploring our options with regard to the rating of Manhunt 2," the statement reads.

The game, from "Grand Theft Auto" developers Rockstar Games, is slated for release in the U.S. on July 9 for PlayStation 2, PSP and Nintendo Wii.

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http://tinyurl.com/39rjrl (GamePolitics)

http://www.rockstargames.com/manhunt2