▁lying ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁p ond ▁in ▁stating ▁this ▁week ▁that ▁the ▁game ▁had ▁nothing ▁to ▁do ▁with ▁the ▁murder . ▁ ▁His ▁efforts ▁to ▁have ▁Manh unt ▁ 2 ▁b anned ▁were ▁un success ful . ▁ ▁Leg al ▁status ▁In ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁the ▁game ▁was ▁b anned ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁with ▁possession ▁de emed ▁an ▁off ence . ▁Bill ▁H ast ings , ▁the ▁Chief ▁C ensor , ▁stated ▁" it ' s ▁a ▁game ▁where ▁the ▁only ▁thing ▁you ▁do ▁is ▁kill ▁everybody ▁you ▁see ▁... ▁You ▁have ▁to ▁at ▁least ▁acqu ies ce ▁in ▁these ▁mur ders ▁and ▁possibly ▁toler ate , ▁or ▁even ▁move ▁towards ▁enjo ying ▁them , ▁which ▁is ▁inj ur ious ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁good ." ▁The ▁game ▁was ▁similarly ▁" ref used ▁classification " ▁in ▁Australia ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁by ▁the ▁Classification ▁Review ▁Board , ▁despite ▁having ▁already ▁been ▁on ▁sale ▁for ▁almost ▁a ▁year ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁with ▁the ▁classification ▁of ▁MA 1 5 + ▁( rest rict ed ▁to ▁ages ▁ 1 5 ▁and ▁over ). ▁ ▁In ▁Canada , ▁following ▁a ▁meeting ▁in ▁Toronto ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁between ▁H ast ings ▁and ▁officials ▁from ▁the ▁Ontario ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Cons umer ▁and ▁Business ▁Services , ▁Manh unt ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁computer ▁game ▁in ▁Ontario ▁to ▁be ▁class ified ▁as ▁a ▁film