Slashdot Mirror
Left 4 Dead 2 Banned In Australia
An anonymous reader writes "According to Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification, Left 4 Dead 2's content exceeds that allowable for an MA15+ rating. Any such game is rated as Refused Classification, effectively banning it. From the report: 'The game contains realistic, frenetic, and unrelenting violence which is inflicted upon "the Infected" who are living humans infected with a rabies-like virus that causes them to act violently. 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.'"
I didn't know valve did such a good job of making a proper gorey zombie game.
A bullet may have your name on it but splash damage is addressed "To whom it may concern."
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.
Seriously. Did they pay the ratings board to write that?
'However, it is the use of the "melee" weapons such as the crowbar, axe, chainsaw and Samurai sword which inflict the most damage.'
That's odd, I think I'd rather be hit by a crowbar than blasted with a shotgun. Oh well, only one way to find out.
well now i'll have to pirate it, hope whatever legal farm is responsible for game piracy sues the government.
" 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."
Sounds like a pretty convincing advertisement for the game! Darn astroturfers....
Seriously, the game is sold on Steam. Will steam sell you the game and let you play online if you have an australian IP address? Do they have to block you from purchasing it or not?
As someone who enjoys the first L4D, this is a really great description of the next one. I'm looking forward to it based on this description alone.
cant wait to bit torrent it
~ An Australian
The game contains realistic, frenetic, and unrelenting violence which is inflicted upon "the Infected" who are living humans infected with a rabies-like virus that causes them to act violently.
It must be interesting to work in HR at this company.
Looks like somebody high up in Austrialia is a wee-bit angry about not having any of the promised downloadable content of l4d...
For some reason I thought this was China. I guess I stopped reading after I saw the word Banned.
This is different than the evening news? I'm all for sex over violence and a happy world but honestly the stuff that happens in that description is up nightly on TV. My friend down in AU says he watched 28 days/weeks later, so how is this any different?
Don't they have an 18+ rating for games in Australia?
Polls consistently show that the vast majority of gamers are adults.
The game that was so good it was banned in Australia.
Aren't there people over the age of 15 in Australia? If not the level of drinking in that country is really worrying.
Thanks Australia! Now I'm sure to buy it!
Hey, at least there's no nudity!
I for one welcome our undead marsupial overlords!
Would they ban a movie displaying the same content?
Its spelt "L-I-N-U-X", but pronunced as "Free Beer"
no, but there is such a thing as an R18+ rating for movies, not so for games.
Valve's Zombie shooter has been refused classification, which means it can't be made commercially available in the country.
Valve should thumb their nose at Australia's rating board and make the game freely available there.
The European version of L4D really ought to replace all of the violence with sex. It would take surprisingly little coding... you and your fellow vacationers are traipsing through streets filled with sex-crazed ravers who throw themselves at you and pile onto you in an orgy of lust, and only your fellow friends can rescue you by pleasing them with a variety of sex toys you have at your disposal.
Sound effects and animations can pretty much stay as-is, all they'd have to do is replace the weapons with dildos and vibrators.
Bloody hell, look at this zombie over here! As you can see, because of his huge stomach and sweatpants, we call this one the BOOMER. Now if it gets ticked off it just throws up all over ya causin' the other littler ones to come racin'. We think its like the mother group, tellin' the others where the food is.
Now this Big guy is called the TANK. Cranky, he IS big! Now this guys is like the protector of the group. He's not afraid of anything. But notice how small his head is compared to the rest of his body. This means he maybe strong, but his defiantly defiantly not smart - like jock from you local high school. This also means he's attached to fire. CRANKY, he saw is! RUN! RUN! THROW THE BLOODY MOLLY!
Okay, we got away. Now will we were running, and our sound guy was getting eatin', we manged to see this guy right over there. That's the SMOKER. We don't know why it coughs or why he's so tall, but we do know that he has a very very very long tongue. Cranky do you see him grab that guy from way over there. Hey he just got me mate!
Finally, we see this guy over here is the Hunter. He kind of looks like a rapist with that hoody on, but don't worry. He's not going to be rapin' no one, he'll just tear them to shreds and then eat'em. Well cranky, this raps up another great show. Catch us next week when we get to see the zombies from Valves Left 4 Dead 2. *A tech whispers in his ear* Well cranky, it looks like L4D 2 has been banned by me mates in the Government, but it's okay cause...we are totally f*cked over!
Seriously, I'm getting this game whether they ban the sale here or not! It's my bloody* diplomatic right to play this :D
@Idiomatic - An english friend of mine was once asked: What's the legal drinking age over there. he replied saying "11" "Oh wait do you mean legally?" :D
*hehe, get it? :P
Well, I was upset about them not just making it an expansion to L4D_1. But from this Ratings Board-vertisement, it sounds like they gave it an overhaul. The description has me won, I give in.
(I'm surprised no one has brought it up yet, considering the fuss made before.)
Where the bloody hell are you?
dnuof eruc rof aixelsid
...that the first L4D was rather gory and that L4D2 is doubtless gorier still. Even so, I have difficulty understanding the "gore is gore, regardless of the context" type of thinking that seems to be going on here. Just as the treatment of gore in Saving Private Ryan is vastly different than the treatment of gore in , I'd hold that some games treat gore very differently than others. Some games are simply designed to glorify gore and the act of murdering. Others have gore, but it isn't the point.
I mean, take Manhunt 2. From what I saw of it, it was basically built from the ground up to glorify murdering people in order to create controversy so that it could sell a few more copies. Regardless of whether it actually crossed lines, I think the point was that they were trying to get as close to the line as possible. I don't see worth in that.
But if you look at the treatment of gore in L4D, it's obvious that while it definitely contributes to the gameplay (i.e. the game would feel very different without the gore), it isn't the point of the game. You wouldn't stop in the middle of a zombie swarm to call a friend over so that you could show him how blowing off a zombie's leg might have X effect. What you would show someone is the strategy for surviving that swarm though. I mean, sure, occasionally something particularly gory and satisfying happens, and everyone goes, "whoa, did you see that?" (at least, when you first start playing), but that's not really the point of the game; people don't go seeking out those moments. Instead, they just happen incidentally, which is in stark contrast to the earlier-mentioned game.
Anyway, I've rambled enough. Long story short, Australia is really backwards in some things, and I feel sorry for the friends I have from down under, and not just for this stupidity.
From the report: 'The game contains realistic, frenetic, and unrelenting violence which is inflicted upon "the Infected" who are living humans infected with a rabies-like virus that causes them to act violently. 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.'"
is this a report or an advert?
I 3 Threads
In other news, Valve just announced that the sequel to their game "Left for Dead" will have a special Australian version with localized content. The localized sequel, named "Theft of Bread", will have a horde of undead stealing bread, where the player equipped with appropriate tools is tasked with the mission to retrieve the bread the undead have stolen slice per slice. Valve has announced that the weaponry will include old-time classics such as the breadknife, the toaster and various kinds of jam. Players can grab the "butter" powerup for that extra toasty goodness.
Rumor has it that Australian censors are quite disturbed by the cake level, and the inclusion of a chainsaw. As the horde of undead minions steal a cake for a birthday party, the player is tasked with skillfully cutting the cake using only a chainsaw. Australian censor believe that the close combat situation involving said cake and the splattering of cake-bits due to the interaction with the chainsaw may upset children and small animals, and potentially could have disastrous effects on birthday parties all over Australia.
"We've really been trying to give our players the best experience," Valve's Gabe Newell said in a recent interview, "and that is why we believe that the cake-level is an integral part of the game. Our playtesters reported a high level of satisfaction of being able to masterfully cut the cake just in time for Mruuuuuh's zombie birthday party, and only one of our 10.000 playtesters reported feeling a bit disturbed by all the flying cake-bits. Up until this point, none of our playtesters have ruined a birthday party, nor have there been any cake-incidents at Valve headquarters."
Australian gamers responded outraged when they heard the censorship boards feedback, and have started a boycot of the Australian cake industry. "Crikey, we're just trying to make a stand here mate," said one angry gamer, "we've had it with the big cake industry lobbying the government to try and stop us from enjoying a game that might change the image of their product. If we don't draw a line here, there will never be an end to it and soon we won't even be able to play Cooking Mama.". Representatives of the cake industrie were unavailable for comment, but an inside source in CakeBake Ltd reveals to us that upper management bakes a cake with Gabe Newells face on it every day, and recently acquired a chainsaw for "maintnance purposes".
I really like L4D. I saw the game trailer for L4D2, and I think this game is very bad for kids. And adults of unstable psychology (not that uncommon, something like 1-10%, no matter how you define unstable).
Why is this game bad? It makes the player numb to a very nasty kind of violence, which unstable people very easily will be inspired by. If you don't believe me take a look at the trailer with chainsaw and some closeups of kids.
Sure, I doubt any lawmakers can do anything about it, and I believe this rating/lack of rating will only give Steam a better marketshare.
However, I think it is incredibly amoral to develop something like this, similar to legalized trafficking, Europeans tricking Asian guest-workers into lifelong "slavery"-debt or sweatshops in the US. (ok, swearshops are illegal, but still very common).
1. Plan with nasty consequences for a significant number of people
2. ???
3. Profit.
What to do about. Well not much can be done. Just accept it.
I will never understand censorship.
Left 4 Dead 2 is bad for people, Road Warrior is good for people.
Australia, you have a wallaby in your dickhole. Crikey!
Censor that and put another shrimp on the bar-bee.
In all seriousness... Left 4 Dead 2 (a shitty expansion pack) and Road Warrior 2 are perfectly fine for entertainment. Stop the censorship. Chill out... and have a veggemite!
like it should have been?
Does releasing an add on to a previously shipped game in Australia require reexamination? Just food for thought.
Seeing as there's a factual error in the report:
'The game contains realistic, frenetic, and unrelenting violence which is inflicted upon "the Infected" who are living humans infected with a rabies-like virus that causes them to act violently. 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.'
The zombies in the game are quite obviously no longer alive, I mean, they have rotten skin, pieces falling off, not to even mention the special infected. Quite different from the rabbies zombies depicted in, for example, 28 days later.
cya
Raziel-chan
Aussies, if you want to see blood and gore spluttering from some zombie's guts, it's time to go to your parlament!
How you read that, well, that's up to you...
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Having spent time in real war zones and been in full on combat fire fights for 22 hours none stop literally pissing in my pants because if I did not lock and load again, I would have died. Therefore, you need to understand war is very ugly and this game has no place in "sane society". Ask yourself the question about what message this sends out to people? Do you really think this is a game which has no ramifications whatsoever. I would also question your mental state if you think that carving up people is fun and it means nothing. Psychologically, these traits end up with little value for human life, later in life.
All cows eat grass!
Man, you suck at rugby, and now you cant even play L4D2... My heart breaks for you guys.
....mmmm I think this guys would be great game reviewers.... Any game with that last paragraph on the cover, and I'm sold!
Valve will just do the classic of making green blood or saying that these are in fact robots hell-bent on transforming the survivors into furries or something like that...
The "restoration" crack will be available approximately 30 seconds after release in Australia.
So it appears that it won't be on Australian retail shelves but will they somehow prevent AU L4D fans from downloading it from Steam?
why do we allow our fellow humans to suffer under these insane laws? why not just end the people who keep coming up with this puritanical shit?
The game contains realistic, frenetic, and unrelenting violence which is inflicted upon "the Infected" who are living humans infected with a rabies-like virus that causes them to act violently.
Maybe I'm wrong here, but I've always understood "The Infected" to be zombies, and thus not living humans.
Just put that computer down, go get the real weapon of choice, take a walk to the water's edge, and go croc-baiting croc-sniping croc-cutting croc-a-doodle-doo.
Unless your preference goes more toward cuddly things that can't really fight back.
But don't bring a camera and don't put the footage on the web where those censors - who are all under 16, right? - can see it.
... the more ban-happy the country you live in is, the more likely banning itself will be banned.
GAAH! MY PRINTER IS ON FIRE!!! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!
i rember that game has a option to turn off that kind of gore and password lock it so it cant be reenabled without the password. i believe its called adult mode. been a wile sense i played it.
As an Australian, I've seen my country slowly drift off the rails over the past 20 years.
We're governed by a bunch of soft-cocked fucking fairies.
If Doom was released nowadays, it'd probably be banned too.
Why don't they just rate it R18+?
Australia has no R18+rating for video games.
Why doesn't Australia have an R18+ rating for video games?
A single man, South Australian Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson doesn't want an R18+ rating, despite overwhelming public demand.
Why does one man get to determine what is right for everyone else?
The system is flawed.
Michael Atkinson has the appearance of a man who has never and will never actually play a video game, why then is someone with no actual experience in the industry in charge of what is acceptable conduct within?
It's time to send a message to Mr Atkinson, introduce a mature ratings system to the video game industry or turn over your duties to someone better qualified.
Contact The Attorney-General and tell him what you think:
Phone
8207 1723
Fax
8207 1736
E-Mail
attorney-general@agd.sa.gov.au
Postal Address
GPO Box 464
ADELAIDE SA 5001
Office
11th Floor, 45 Pirie Street
ADELAIDE SA 5000
Australia is but a stones throw from New Zealand, home of Peter Jackson, creator of "one-of-the bloodiest movies of all time" --Dead Alive. Aussies, should replace the "A" with a "P" in order to correctly convey their stance on electronic video entertainment.
In Soviet Russia, road forks you!
Does the government actually believe that they will be able to outcode any determined hackers? Not only a hacker, actually, anyone with a bittorrent .exe on their drive. Australia, you cannot stop them, only slow them down.