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.
Jesse
Sunday, October 25, 2009 at 7:29 PMWhat about the saw game coming out why isn’t that banned “ah,lets just stick my hand in a alive human to get a key while he/she screams for their life”um… no on 2nd thought thats not gorry at all WTF?
Gordon Freeman
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 9:56 PMHow the fuck is this banned when Gears of War, Dead Space, Fallout 3 and other games not?
Completely Ridiculous.
jo mate
Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 2:26 PMwhy should it be banned in australia sowhy dont they bann it in america becouse what is wrong with ausralia
these people r idiots
Monday, November 2, 2009 at 7:56 PMwhy not simple give an option to toggle the gore on or off or have an age verification enforced to turn on the gore, they dont have to ruin the game for everyone
Danny Stoddard
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 7:53 PM“melee weapons as those that “inflict the most damage” ” – What level you figure that out sir?
“interactive nature of (the) game(s) increases the overall impact of the frequent and intense depictions of violence” – Every Video game ever made since ever.
living humans infected with a rabies-like virus that causes them to act violently” – Homework: Rabies
That is all.
Danny Stoddard
Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 7:54 PM(sic) – Brah
mark
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 9:49 PMthis is upsetting. even if everything the board commented on was true – that the violence was high impact and there is too much blood and guts for their comfort, so what? allowing the game to be released is not the same as forcing children to play it. it should be up to the parents to gauge what their kids can and cant hadle, not a board of politicians.
if you ask me, the crucifix is pretty high impact violence… they don’t seem to have a problem with that. maybe they should have a meeting about limiting the distribution of bibles to kids aswell – that shit is horrific. no?
shane
Friday, November 13, 2009 at 11:20 PMy would they make another left 4 dead if we cant get it in australia.games havent got REALLY realistick yet.i would say 2012 they would.
Grammar Nazi
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 1:36 PM“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.” So, as I sit and not play left 4 dead 2, Australia will be playing it.
paul
Friday, November 20, 2009 at 5:29 PMwe all think this is f—ked to the shithouse.
i mean we need this game… its not like we havent had gore like this ever before..
well im importing the PC version
SUCK that f—ked up viewer rater of Australia..
cos of this i dont understand how ppl dont just turn to piracy… i honestly dont understand.
Bardman
Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 9:05 AMSigh!
It makes me highly confused, when these bible-bashing, obstainers from everything, regurgatate this garbage.
Saying one game is not appropriate due to the extreme violence against a fictional(already dead!!) zombie.
But to allow games like GTA, which is all about negative social interaction, goes to show just how inconsistant, unprofessional and lacking in all credability the system is.
Mr(insert profanity here)Atkinson reminds me a lot of my high school teachers, high and mighty for the sake of it, with no justification that makes any real sense, except to them.
Gee i guess we will all send our money $$$ overseas and get copies, what a DORK!
Matt Angelucci, Professional Zombie Killer
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 9:25 AMI really feel sorry for you guys, i’m in america and i’m saving up for it. I agree with you all that this is all a load of bull. What happens to the people who preordered it? do they get their money back?
Valve just lost a huge chunk of their gaming audience, why? because a bunch of old farts decided that they don’t want mature adults playing a game INTENDED for mature adults.
an adults only rating is seriously needed, and i’ll do whatever it takes to help you guys out, because as a valve fan, this is outragious
it’s facism, communism, and overall douchebaggery
Mike
Sunday, December 20, 2009 at 4:41 PMThis ban opens doors for piracy. More people are going to download the uncut version off a torrent site rather than go and legitimately buy the cut version.
And now Australian eBay is flooded with the uncut versions from other countries sold to Australians (sometimes for a significantly higher price)
I couldn’t bear the Australian version anymore, so I did what most people do and downloaded it from American Steam.
Good job for the Australian goverment and all the different organisations. Someone should protest this.
onionsoup22
Thursday, October 7, 2010 at 11:24 AM@Mike In the MA or “cut” version are there alot of glitches, For instance say i cut open a zombie’s stomach, would it freeze for a second or do something ike that?
onionsoup22
Thursday, October 7, 2010 at 11:21 AMI think it is stupid, i mean mabey just mabey some adults want to play it. And i’m pretty sure parents would not let there children play it any way, So what i’m saying is that it’s their choice.
P.S I would be able to buy it (I’m from Aus)it’s just i would get the Low level gore version, which is stupid.
Corey
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 9:45 AMIt’s because our Australian censorship board is a bunch of 70 year old single mothers saying “oh lord! Look Beatrice his arm came off! Oh we just can’t allow our poor innocent children to see this!” INNOCENT MY ASS!!!
Tamer shehabeldin
Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 9:47 PMI played Left4Dead2 for 2,000+ hours and killed 950,000 zombies and I am not a violent person. Not only I am not violent, but I also help other people if I can, I helped a wounded woman who fall on her face because she slipped from the ice on the ground and she broke the bone of her head after she fall down directly on her head. I called the ambulance for her because she and her husband seem not to have cell phone with them, and I waited until the ambulance came incase they need my help before the ambulance arrive, then I left when the ambulance came.
Another story, when I was in the subway (American subway) the doors of the subway closed on someone’s bookbag, they were not completely closed and it was difficult for the people inside the subway to notice it, which means if the subway moves the doors might re-open automatically because they were not fully closed from the beginning. To make things worse, the subway was filled with people, I could not enter it because there was no space for anyone and I had to wait for the next subway to arrive, which means if that door opened automatically while the subway is running fast there will be a lot of enjuries and deaths to the people inside it. I knocked the door to warn the passenger inside the subway before it leaves and I pointed to him with my finger to the door so that he move inside so that the door can fully close, he ignored me, but someone else inside the subway who saw me pointing to the door said something to him, then he moved a little far from the door and the door closed, then the subway moved. If I was a violant person due to video games I would ignore the doors and do not warn anyone hoping that the door will re-open and make people get injured and die.
Other stories: I never saw a homeless person in the street without giving him enough money to buy a fast meal food. Only one time I saw a homeless person and did not give him money even though I had money, but I was hungry and I had enough to buy food for myself. There are too many people (who do no NOT play games) and they never a damn when they see homeless person . What does homeless people has to do with this topic? If I was violent I will be so happy watching someone else suffer from hunger and will not help him out, not even with a penny.
I also played violent games since I was 7 years old until 28 years old (my current age) and I do not start problems with anyone unless they do then I will show them the ugly side of my face. Why some governments connect violent video games to real life?
I am also so annoyed by some Americans who think that because I love the AK47 and I am Arab it means I hate Americans because the Russians (enemies of the USA) are the ones who created the weapon. Why are you connecting the love of a weapon due to its (((stylish design))) to the love of a country? Why do you connect the hate of a weapon due to its bad (((style design))) to the hate of a country? I love the M4 rifle a lot, especially when it has all the extra items attached to it (laser sight, flash light, grip, etc), however this is NOT a proof that I love America just because I love the M4 rifle. It is true that some people choose only the weapons of their country and they never choose the weapons of a country they hate, but this is not always true. I can assure you that most players in this world select weapons due to the style, they do not give a damn about who created the weapon even that creator is Satan himself!!!
Why the hell I keep seeing people connect video games to real life? And why the hell I see other people connect the love and hate of a weapon to the love and hate of a country?
The reason why I love L4D2 is because I enjoy killing zombies (monsters), and I also love using guns. Love using guns does not mean love to kill the innocent, love violent video games does not mean I love violence in real life, and the proof is my story with the wonded woman that I mentioned in this video as well as the other 2 stories.
I love war games, and I hate real war because of the terror that happens in it. I love war games because they are fun, and I hate real war because it is distruction and brings pain to everyone. I love war games because I enjoy using the weapons to kill virtual enemies and hide from them before they kill me, and I hate real war because the weapons are not used for fun, they are used to kill innocents, Most of the victims in real wars are innocent people as what we saw in all the modern wars in the past 70 years. Countries do not use their armies to defend themselves anymore, they use them to destroy other countries and kill a lot of innocents, that’s why I hate real war and love war games.
I hope the U.S. government will not do the same stupidity as this government!!
I believe that the only danger from Mature video games is from the (child molestors) who uses games to become friends of kids who play Mature games. Many child molestors play games to become friends of children, these molestors claim that they are kids so that children feel safe being their freinds in the game, then after the molestor become a good friend to the child he will ask the child to go out with him in real life to play a game in real life, then kidnap him after they meet in real life. This is my openion after what I saw from the FBI agents in the Mature games I played, this is not necessarily true, just my openion.
I played with FBI agents in more than one game which I discovered them because of simple mistakes they did while playing the game that exposed them to me and clearly showed they were FBI agents and not some gamers coming for fun. These guys play Mature games with us because children play Mature games too and the FBI agents want to protect them from child molestors. Even though the US government ban children from playing mature games, but parents do not care, if the child cry hard to get the game the parents will buy them for the child, parents will get all mature games for their children if they will cry day and night for the game, and the US government know this, that’s why the FBI agents are playing the Mature games with us and they are using special software that changes the voice of the FBI agent to a child in order to fool the child molestors by making them think they are playing with real children.
EviLZombieMaster
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 7:36 PMIt’s not banned in Australia. That’s bullcrap. I own it now. It’s not banned in Australia, trust me.