High impact violence, says the Classification Board. That’s the reason why you won’t be playing Left 4 Dead 2 when it’s released in November throughout the world…except in Australia.
This morning we broke the news that Left 4 Dead 2 had been refused classification in Australia.
By way of IGN AU and News.com.au comes a copy of the Board’s report. It says:
* The game contains violence that is high in impact and is therefore unsuitable for persons aged under 18 to play.
* It notes that this violence is “inflicted upon ‘the Infected’ who are living humans infected with a rabies-like virus that causes them to act violently”.
* The report singles out the use of melee weapons as those that “inflict the most damage” and cause “copious amounts of blood spray and splatter (sic), decapitations and limb dismemberment.. or even cause intestines to spill from the wounds”.
* In conclusion, the Board finds that 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.”
* Interestingly, the report also reveals that it wasn’t a unanimous decision and that “a minority of the Board is of the opinion that the violence is strong in playing impact and therefore warrants an MA15+ classification” instead. However, the majority voted to refuse classification.
We have contacted both EA and Valve for comment and will update you as soon as we have more information.
Water Bear
September 17, 2009 at 3:14 PM
bloody freakin goddamn hell crap damn balls
Report PermalinkAngry_Paul
September 17, 2009 at 3:19 PM
id like to know where the hell i can complain about this, cause im tired of australia not having an R18 rateing !!!
Report PermalinkCypher
September 17, 2009 at 3:20 PM
I love stomping on the baby things in Dead Space. And no, I don’t want to go out and stomp babie after playing it. I’d like my rights back thanks
Report PermalinkAnthony Bentley
September 17, 2009 at 3:22 PM
It would be nice if Games weren’t so politicised. It’s just so convenient a scapegoat that it won’t be until something new comes along that “threatens the Children” that we will see a realistic classification system. I think it took a lot of years for Films to get them, so we may be in for a long wait. Australia is just backwards and full of hicks, we need time to change the attitudes.
I have my right to choose taken from me and our wishes are marginalised by a Politician-Turkey who just can’t quite see the facts just in case it completely undermines his position.
Why don’t we just bite the bullet and go 100% China-Owned-Commie-Satellite-Country right now. Oh wait that celebration is for when the filters get turned on. :P
Report PermalinkIanC
September 17, 2009 at 3:22 PM
“* The game contains violence that is high in impact and is therefore unsuitable for persons aged under 18 to play.”
I’d wager most people would agree, if only there was a way for them to certify a game so that only people 18 and over could purchase and play it?
*bangs head on desk*
The issue of 18 rated games in Australia has become a parody and the real victims here are the everyday people who simply want to play the latest mainstream videogames. Ask certain politicians about this issue and they’ll drag out all manner of sick and twisted products which have no sensible bearing on the argument as they’d never be made available here under an 18+ rating. It’s all designed to shock and scare the everyday voter into believing that allowing an adult to play an more mature videogame would expose their children to the most shocking and depraved experiences imaginable.
It’s a sad reflection of our current society that people should use positions of power to impose their own moral values onto people rather than listen to the views of the electorate.
The issue of 18 rated games in Australia has become a parody or a real issue
Report PermalinkRobert
September 17, 2009 at 3:23 PM
This is just insane so how was the first one released?
I suggest everyone email the classification board and give them hell, use your head don’t abuse and just make them look dumb by sticking to facts.
enquiries@classification.gov.au
Report Permalinkenquiries@classification.gov.au
enquiries@classification.gov.au
enquiries@classification.gov.au
enquiries@classification.gov.au
Matt
September 17, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Done & done – emailed.
This is disgusting, and makes us the laughing stock of the gaming community.
R18 CLASSIFICATION NOW PLEASE!
Report PermalinkCraig Oats
September 17, 2009 at 3:27 PM
…does anyone think having Gabe Newell visit Australia could help out in this situation at all? Perhaps someone could chat to him and convince him while he’s here to contact the OFLC, either about having L4D2′s rating ammended, or about his own opinion on our lack of an 18+ rating.
Report PermalinkWaveOfMutilation
September 17, 2009 at 3:28 PM
Thee games with equal levels of violence and dismemberment.
Fallout 3
Ninja Gaiden II
Deadspace
Each of these were allowed release in Australia.
Some one really needs to get the Classification Board to explain the differences here.
Report PermalinkDaniel Hutton
September 17, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Remember that Fallout 3 had to go through some localized changes before it was released here. That said it was more about the use of drug names rather than the gore, which makes me wonder just what the ratings board is smoking when they make decisions like this.
Report PermalinkHugh
November 7, 2009 at 10:54 PM
I reckon Gear of war2 could even be added to that list, I mean chainsaw bayonets, and brutal sniper headshots…I really don’t know what the problem with adding another tier to the rating system would harm…R18+ GAMES!!
Report PermalinkDavid
September 17, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Instead of bitching why dont you Aussies do something about it? if your gonna let your goverment take away your rights then I guess your going to let them castrate you as well..
Protest about it.. make it hit the news or something.. or just import it from us in NZ :P
Report Permalinkchuloopa
September 17, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Dave, can Kotaku please put up a news post containing a list of authorities we can contact etc and do something akin to making it a ‘sticky’ so it’s there at the top of the news for everyone to participate. Part of the problem is so little people know what to do.
Make sure you let people know being belligerent won’t do us any good either.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
September 17, 2009 at 3:40 PM
Good idea.
Report PermalinkMatthew Smith
September 17, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Hey David, While you are at it, any chance you’d be able to use your clout to get the opinions of the big retailers?
I’d love to know what EB, Game, JB HiFi etc think about the fact that they now have one less block buster game that they will be stocking shelves with. Surely this decision will be hurting them in the wallet-organ.
Report PermalinkJohnnoz
September 17, 2009 at 3:37 PM
Bull
Shit
There is nothing more I have to say about this.
Report PermalinkDean
September 17, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Here’s my predication: Left 4 Dead 2 will be available in Australia.
Whether it gets appealed and OFLC re-assigns it MA15+, or whether there are minor changes made to get it in under the bar, I predict that it WILL be available for sale in Australia.
THAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM!!
If we had an R18+ rating, the game could be rated R18+ and minors would not be able to buy it – end of story. The problem is that without an R18+ rating, publishers are forced to push the limit of what’s acceptable for an MA15+ game just to “get it under”. It’s precicely what happened with Fallout 3 if you remember – it was initially RC, but got re-rated MA15+ with minor modifications.
Report PermalinkJerome B
September 17, 2009 at 3:47 PM
I can’t believe it… We’re not only drifting towards some of the most shocking censorship, but we’re also facing one that is driven in the most arbitrary way. These people act as dictators, banning or letting go games with no obvious criterion. Indeed how can one justify banning Risen and saying nothing for Witcher, L4D2 but not all the zombie games around, including L4D1? Where is logic, rationality here? Can this really happen in a democracy, can we end up with people holding so much power and using it in an arbitrary way… I’m scared…
Report PermalinkBen Routledge
September 17, 2009 at 3:50 PM
How do you get to work for the Classification Board, I’d be super keen to play games all day and give them a rating.
Report PermalinkDogSoldier
September 17, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Say no to game censorship. Show your support and sign below!
http://www.petitiononline.com/l4d2inoz/petition.html
Report Permalinkcronobreaker
September 17, 2009 at 4:12 PM
I agree gamers need to somehow get this news to the mainstream media in some way (maybe through publishers) and make a decent point of lobbying for an R18+ rating but it needs to be handled in a legitamate and calm matter. Cussing and sending death threats to Michael Atkins is not going to help the issue at all.
From Michael Atkinson’s Wiki page:
“He has withdrawn his support for a discussion paper and public consultation on the subject of an “R18+” rating”
Maybe Kotaku Aust could start a submissions call for people with good writing/debating abilities and put together a good list of debates to start the discussion again?
Report PermalinkWilliam Hamilton
September 17, 2009 at 4:26 PM
hey its only a AUSTRALIAN ban. if we order the pal version from europe we should be fine.
Report Permalinkbesides don’t we all know that the ratings board people are all a bunch of idiots anyway?
plmko
September 17, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Ah for crying out loud enough with the “oh I’m an adult and so I can choose what I play”
The failure is not in the rating system, the failure in the board, clearly the game was suppose to pass but the majority just refused.
Take FEAR 2 as an example, that game got banned then unbanned after the appeal. I’m sure the same thing will happen with this game.
Report PermalinkSteven
September 17, 2009 at 4:28 PM
play-asia.com here we come.. good exchange rate at the moment as well :)
Report Permalinksatyr
September 17, 2009 at 4:35 PM
FUCK THIS BULLSHIT!
Report PermalinkReece
September 17, 2009 at 4:36 PM
This is just embarrassing…
If our Government is going to keep treating the Australian people like children, then maybe we should start behaving like children.
refused classification.. where have I heard that befor? The great fail wall of Conjob.
This needs to be fixed
Report PermalinkLazyaza
September 17, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Its great how inconsistent these bannings are.
The PC version of GTA4 releases totally unedited, Fear 2 releases totally unedited and yet this game is some how taking violence too far?
God I hate our ratings board so much.
Their is still absolutely no reason whatsoever that we shouldn’t have an R/adult only rating for games. Banning these games is denial of human rights and nothing more.
Report Permalinktimbizcut
September 17, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Yet there remains no classification criteria with books.(Not that I want one) I remember the QLD. State gov. was looking at “The Preacher” comic – with regards but that got through. We need an 18+ classification for video games- simple as that. Isn’t it the fault of the Attorney General that we still don’t have one?
Report PermalinkTrent Gore
September 17, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Import for the win.
*on hands and knees*
“IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT!!!”
Report PermalinkCaptain_Clown
September 17, 2009 at 4:57 PM
If only Valve would release their games for the PS3, this wouldn’t be an issue for me.
Report Permalink