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Left 4 Dead 2 Refused Classification in Australia
Post by Dan @ 11:09am 17/09/09 | 13 Comments
Valve's zombie shooting sequal Left 4 Dead 2 The latest title to miss the MA15+ maximum over at the old Australian Classification Board earning the title (in it's current form) the dreaded RC which prohibits distribution in this country.

We won't know specifically what pushed it past MA15+ until an official report is released but it will be interesting to find out as from what we've seen of the game, it didn't seem any more violent or gory than the original Left 4 Dead.

Of course, it's not the first high profile game to receive this prestigious honour on its first pass and in all likelihood will be tweaked for re-submission, but it is sure to once again re-ignite the push for an R18+ category for videogames in Australia.

faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Don't worry though. I'm sure an Australian version will be released with all zombies replaced with Teddie bears which you fire air bursts at to make them fall on their backs and roll around on the ground comically.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH




HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Ahem.......... It'll pass an MA rating, just give it a couple more weeks. The last few games to be refused passed after a second judgment without ANY changes made.

except the removal of the ability to use morphine (Fallout3)

Ub3r wrote:except the removal of the ability to use morphine (Fallout3)

They didn't remove it silly, just changed the name.

I know it will be released. I just worry that they will need to change things, that compatibility changes and how much longer I'd have to wait to import the R18 version

It has "Adrenaline" in it, just change the name to "Super Saiyan" and all will be fine.

Earlier today it was revealed that the hotly anticipated zombie shooter sequel Left 4 Dead 2 had been refused classification by the Australian Classification Board, prohibiting sale of the game expected to arrive on our shores this November.

AusGamers has since obtained the board's official report and the stated reasons for banning appear to be as blunt as the game's cricket bat weapon.

The interactive nature of the game increases the overall impact of the frequent and intense depictions of violence. This coupled with the graphic depictions of blood and gore combine to create a playing impact which is high.

Read on as Dotarray examines the report in detail in this feature article.

Why Left 4 Dead 2 Was Banned in Australia
Post by dotarray @ 02:27pm 17/09/09 | Comments
Left 4 Dead 2 Refused Classification by the Australian Classification Board in September 2009

So - Left 4 Dead 2 has been refused classification in Australia - and the rumours are flying thick and fast over just why Valve's upcoming zombie-huntin' sequel has been effectively banned in this country.



We'd heard stories that there were mysterious "adrenaline shots" thrown into the mix, with many gamers suspecting this would take the game to the 'dark side' by featuring drug use as a way to advance.

However, according to the Classification Board's report, it's much more simple than that - the game's just straight-up more violent, this time around.

Item 1(d) of the computer games table of the National Classification Code states that:
"1. Computer games that:
(d) are unsuitable for a minor to see or play;" will be Refused Classification in this country.

You guessed it, the high level of "realistic, frenetic and unrelenting violence" featured in Left 4 Dead 2 means that the shooter is "unsuitable for persons under 18 years to play", so - due to our lack of an adult R18+ rating - the Board has no choice but to effectively ban the game for all Australians.

The Board's report states that:

The player can choose from a variety of weapons including pistols, shotguns, machine guns and sniper rifles. However, it is the use of the "melee" weapons such as the crowbar, axe, chainsaw and Samurai sword which inflict the most damage. These close in attacks cause copious amounts of blood spray and splatter, decapitations and limb dismemberment as well as locational damage where contact is made to the enemy which may reveal skeletal bits and gore. Projectile shots to infected humans can cause abdominal wounds which can reveal innards or even cause intestines to spill from the wounds.



Looking at the report, it's this messy ultraviolence that seems to have upset them so much. The report goes on to explain that players choosing to use a melee weapon will be able to wipe out several Infected "in one blow", causing a pretty graphic display of blood and gore. The Board also observed that after playing for a little while, the player kills a "very large amount" of enemy characters, which then litter the environment - and while no post-mortem damage can be inflicted (another big no-no for the Board), it's all a bit unpleasant, really.




In conclusion, it comes back to one of our favourite arguments - it'd probably be okay if it was a film.

The interactive nature of the game increases the overall impact of the frequent and intense depictions of violence. This coupled with the graphic depictions of blood and gore combine to create a playing impact which is high.



At this point, local distributors EA have stated they "are still working through the submission process with OFLC and want to explore all opportunities before making any comment."

One of those opportunities could be hinted at within the report, where a minority of the Board holds the opinion that the violence featured in Left 4 Dead 2 is merely "strong" in playing impact. If the rest of the Board could be convinced of this, that would be enough to earn it an MA15+ classification with the consumer advice of "strong violence".

At this point though, other than a potential appeal and some appropriate grovelling from Valve and EA, the future looks pretty grim for L4D2, unless we're doomed to get an amazingly castrated version with all the good bits taken out. Removing blood spatter is one thing, and a relatively simple artistic tweak - but taking out what is, essentially, the point of the game? That's a little trickier to pull off.

**Cough**Dead rising**cough**

Thats really... REALLY shit... but... seeing as Steam is like an American company or where-ever.. dont that mean you can still purchase it off that??

I have.... bad news.... the man who is responsible for this ban is Brain Harradine, X- Independant for Tasmania, mega religious dude.... and my Grandad.... evil son of a bitch

Nah, they will do what they do in other games and release it to 'North America' Only, using that as an example. Basically, they will lock it from being released in Australia.

I am so happy the government are here to shield us and our children from the evils of the world.

I mean, if it weren't for them we would need to like, use our brains and stuff to work out things like good and .... bad and ... stuff ....

Woah - I think I just maxed out my quota of cerebral activity for the day. I hope the thought police don't read this post.

In all seriousness though, the good thing about this is that I no longer have the responsibility of seeing if my children are ok.

The government do this for me leaving me the entire day to play games with high gore, filth and smut which I obtain through some guy I know who runs an underground cock fighting ring and access content through a secret VPN tunnel which runs from under my house through the tubes of the internet.

One day they will introduce a rating of N65+, you must be a senior to play the game...

They should so do this....

Shadz wrote:One day they will introduce a rating of N65+, you must be a senior to play the game...

They should so do this....

I would be the only one in the clan playing.

the 1 silver lining to this is, that now at least l4d1 wont go the way of the dodo quite as quickly as it would have. hopefully

JimmyCrackwhore wrote:the 1 silver lining to this is, that now at least l4d1 wont go the way of the dodo quite as quickly as it would have. hopefully

fortunately the aus community wont die, but the US community which provides most the mods, and valve will forget about it

If they were ever going to release this in Australia they would release it as the "lite" version, meaning a much dulled down version of this game.
I think we should start petitions.

so do I, i think i might start by making myspace, facebook and what ever else i can make about lifting the ban

send you links when im done <3

Sorry to throw back to Fallout 3 but it is a good example of how the australian classification board protect us from the evils of the world such as med-x I mean morphine. Although, I do remember nuking a city full of innocent people because it was ruining someones view.... But yeah morphine was the big issue in that game.

but its not even a big issue!!
Any one here watch the TV show House? the dr dude who is always popping morphine?? thats just as bad as the silly F3 game

He's popping Vicadin.

Why does nobody trust Weskies?