Australia has left Left 4 Dead 2 for dead: It’s banned
by dkpatriarch
© 2009 David Hilton
Well there you go…no need for all those petitions against Left4Dead 2, at least not here in OZ.
"Infected living humans"
The game has been banned by the Australian Classification Board so as it stands the game won’t be released here anyway.
Risen was the last game to attract the “refused classification” tag in Australia.
So why was Left4Dead 2 banned?
According to the Classification Board 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…
[It is the use of] “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 the infected humans can cause abdominal wounds which can reveal innards or even cause intestines to spill from wounds…
The interactive nature of this game increases the overall impact of the frequent and intense depictions of violence..
This game has been refused classification.
Well that’s interesting: while I agree that this should be in an adult-only category (which means we need an R18 rating for games in Australia) the arguments for the banning would cover many previously released games like Dead Rising (lawnmower or chainsaw carnage anyone?).
Resident Evil 5 also passed and had its share of violence and gore against the infected.
Banned!
Zombies used to be regarded as non-human, like the monsters in Gears of War or other violent gory games. Now they are politically correctly labeled “infected living humans” and so violence against them is akin to killing human enemies.
This will see Dead Rising 2 banned as well, without a doubt. Soon games with monsters with a head, two arms and two legs will be “abnormal humanoid beings” and any violence or graphic gore against them will also see those titles banned too.
The problem here is that the Classification Board just can’t do what it needs to do: place games that are classified 18+ elsewhere in the world in the same category. They have to stuff them into the MA 15+ category or ban them. We need an adult only R18 rating, and now.
This is just getting ridiculous. Valve may yet ‘adapt’ the game to satisfy the Board that the game can fit into the MA 15+ category, but this is becoming an issue that just needs a proper resolution. If most of the world can accept that some games should be adult rated, why can’t we?
You can explore this issue more using the Risen link above and here.
Let us know what you think? Add comments below.
© 2009 David Hilton
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Filed under: 3rd Party Games, Console gaming, Editorial, GameBanter, Industry News, New Game Information, New Xbox 360 Games, Parental Gaming, Press Release, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 3rd Party Games, Xbox 360 News, Xbox 3rd party exclusives Tagged: | "Australian Classification Board", "Australian Office of Film and Literature", dead rising, Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, left4dead 2, OFLC, OFLC banned games, R 18+, R18+, Resident Evil 5
I have started an online petition for the introduction of an R18+ classification for games in Australia.
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/ozgamers
Michael Atkinson is but one man, but we (the Australian voting, gaming public) are many, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE IN THIS ‘DEMOCRACY’
To be honest, online petitions rarly work at all. They are far too easily maniplated and often not taken very seriously at all, if at all.
Your best bet is to follow the link provided on the site, and at the bottom of our recent articles (this one included) and head to that site, get copies of the letter to send to your member of parliament and the other 6 state attorney generals across australia, and that way you’ll actually do more than having a petition.
It’s even better if you “write’ the letters in handwritten form, as these are taken far more seriously than computer generated copies with just a signature attached.
That IS how things will change, and by organising public discussions on the matter. If you have a site, use the banners available on teh site, there are several sizes for anyone to use.
Also, if you have a facebook or myspace and flickr account, then pop one of the banners up there with the link back to that site, that will do far more for the cause than a on-line petition mate, trust me on this .. . as by using it in this fashion, youget the message out to 10 times more ppl than you could even think of doing via a petition. Many ppl don’t even bother following links to petitions these days, as they do little to further a cause in the end.
As soon and Mr Atkinson is out of office, the rules will most likely change. I have personally given up as there’s only so munch bagging your head against a wall to know that your head will hurt but the wall won’t budge.
Hey mate, how’s it going, nice of you to drop by . . .Arthur mentioned something yesterday, and yes, that woiuld be great . . I think you know what I’m talking about?! Yes, you are right, although, we have found a great site that we are going to support here at OXCGN with regards to the R18+ issues, and we’ll be running some public opinion polls and handing out questionairs once they have been completed at various stores, shopping centers and the like around Australia.
It might not do anything initially, but it will help educte many parents an dthe unknowing public as to what they are currently supporting, and what is being denied to them. If half of them knew, there’s be an uproar so loud, the PM would have to do something. As it is, it seems Mr Atkinson has more power than the PM, as hisvito vote can overturn any Federal motion in parlament, which is redicious.
All right. This is ridiculous. I feel so sorry for you guys down there.
I think as the No. 1 console specific site in Australia, OXCGN needs to be on the forefront of this. Let’s organize some interviews w/ retailers, game publishers and lawmakers. Friends and enemies. Let’s fight for an 18+ rating!
Here we go again