L4D2 rated in other violence sensitive regions, Valve appeals Aussie ban

by Alexander Sliwinski on Sep 25th 2009 5:00AM

In the wake of its Australian "banning," Valve has seen fit to send out an update of Left 4 Dead 2's ratings across this zombie smorgasbord we call a planet. We knew that Valve was "bummed" about the ban, but the letter that the company sent out could be interpreted as it saying, "Hey, wait up, places like Germany and Japan gave us '18+' ratings ... and you know how sensitive they are about violence."

Valve is still awaiting a rating in the UK (BBFC) and New Zealand, and submitted its appeal regarding Left 4 Dead 2's non-classified status in the land down under on September 23. With any luck, Aussies will be able to play the game -- with some edits, perhaps -- when the zombie sequel launches November 17.

Left 4 Dead 2

Tags: australia, banned, false, left-4-dead-2, Microsoft, oflc, valve, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (23)

Saying "these countries have rated it 18+" validates the OFLC's position and it's a moronic idea to go to them with this information. We have no 18+ rating, that's why the game has been refused classification.

The problem isn't the ratings board, is the idiot Attorney General from South Australia blocking an 18+ rating from happening.

Our combined kangaroo armies should put an end to this!

Where the fuck is skippy.

I'm now scared that I live in the same country as that... thing

Holy fuck...what do you use to exterminate those things? 3" .00 buckshot?

Its pegi in the UK now not bbfc, Incase you don't pay attention to the news you guys post.

PEGI will become the standard classification, but I'm pretty sure the transition hasn't been made yet, which means that PEGI isn't law enforceable like the BBFC - although because of that loophole it kind of isn't, but that's another story...

Australia needs to get over its phobias, and realize that simulated violence and sex are good things.

Looking at the pic and your planeteer power why does your comment not surprise me?

Its not that we have 'phobias'...Gears 2 and Fallout 3 are just as violent as L4D and they were rated.

What we have is an ass-backwards Classification Board that makes random decisions that have no consistency.

Dead Rising was rated at MA15+, the Zombies in that were technically 'infected' humans as well, and you could rack up kill counts in the tens of thousands, use handheld Chainsaws, Lawn Mowers, whatever you could pick up...there was no problem there.

And also, we have a single Attorney-General who is holding up the R18+ rating because he thinks its going to put 'children in more danger of being exposed' to R18+ games...

Which is also ass-backwards because they are shoehorning things into the MA15+ rating that should be rated R18+ at the moment, and its much easier for them to get ahold of unsuitable games than if there was a heavily policed and restricted rating like an R18+

I keep saying they should just make it like alcohol, impose heavy fines on anyone who buys for, or sells R18+ games to minors...wont stop it, but it will cut down on Parental Ignorance when the cashier tells they'll be facing a massive fine for buying it for their kid, and they might wake up and pay attention.

I'll just get it off steam. Hopefully my isp still mirrors l4d2 - it does all the other steam content.

it will, all this means is you can't buy it from shops... well, you could get it at a market but you know what I mean.

It's probably not going to be on Steam - Steam already uses regional restrictions to make some titles unavailable and others cost more.

Probably the most convincing evidence is that Dark Sector got banned here, and it's not available in Steam.

There shouldn't be any problem here in NZ. We're reasonably liberal with our ratings (same classification system applies to games as to movies/music/tv etc.)

If anything, us Kiwis are frustrated by the Oz situation as our market isn't big enough to carry some media alone - we get lumped into the Australian market. Although, in the "Internet age", this is becoming less of an issue.

And there's always piracy as a way to get around out-of-touch policy makers. I'd rather support artists!

At least your government isnt proposing a mandatory internet blacklist like ours is =(

Feel for ya, PremEjMan! As much as us Ozzies/Kiwis compete we do feel your pain!

We have a similar "voluntary" system on the cards here in NZ (Whitebox). It's not under the control of the OLFC, which is typically pretty even-handed with these sorts of things.

Of course, what the retards-in-suits fail to realise is that if something is visible anywhere on the Net, it is visible EVERYWHERE. There are always ways around these mandated controls (which are always 18 months behind). It's that Internet theory of once something is 'known', it's potentially 'known' by everyone.

Er, back to games. Value, Woot! Down with Zombies!