Aussie censor: L4D2 too "realistic"

By Tom Bramwell Published 18 November, 2009

And zombies look like humans! Filth!

EA's attempt to release an unedited version of Left 4 Dead 2 in Australia failed because the censors thought the game was too realistic and that some enemies looked a bit too much like real humans.

That's according to a copy of the ruling on EA's appeal obtained by GameSpot, which notes that there was "insufficient delineation between the depiction of the general zombies figures and the human figures as opposed to the clearly fiction 'infected' characters".

Apparently the Classification Review Board also felt the nature of the things you shot at - one of the cornerstones of EA's appeal - was "largely irrelevant where the game displays the level of realism this one does".

'What all the fuss is about', since you may be wondering, is the difficulty of getting mature content released under a classification system where the highest possible current rating is MA 15+ (Mature Accompanied).

At the moment, games cannot receive the higher R18+ or X18+ classifications, despite the fact films can, and this makes it tricky for games about shooting monsters in the face in post-apocalyptic American cities to get through.

An edited version of Left 4 Dead 2 goes on sale down under this week. The real thing is extremely good.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Tzetrik #1 2 years ago

    I think they've missed the point of Zombies

  • KujiGhost #2 2 years ago

    Would they have preferred Russian civilians?

  • Vice.Destroyer #3 2 years ago

    think they would have preferred aboriginies.

  • felicitous_blue #4 2 years ago

    Being in Aus, I played the nerfed version. It had less "gore" than the original L4D, which was passed without comment at MA15+, and while this may sound a little psychopathic the edits did affect the gameplay and certainly the enjoyment of the game.

    The sad thing is, it's one single man holding us back from having an R18+ rating for games. One states attorney general... all the others have indicated they would support (in principle) and R18+ for games; to change the legislation, it needs the approval of every AG.


    oh and yes... the irony is that they passed Modern Warfare 2 at MA15+ which makes a little bit of a mockery of their decision over L4D2.
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/09 @ 08:50

  • BabyJesus #5 2 years ago

    Prisoner Cell Block H is more offensive and damaging than any game could be.

  • gaselite #6 2 years ago

    The problem with the ruling is that it feels completely incongruous relative to all other ratings for games of this type in this country. a complete outlier. Especially in light of a certain MW2 level alluded to in these comments. it might have been a jokey comment but it's an interesting point all the same.

    How ironic considering the history of criminals in oz

    I don't see what one has to do with the other?

  • Redeye #7 2 years ago

    I'm not entirely sure there's a facepalm epic enough for this decision.

    Zombies = slightly manky, undead or infected humans, ergo they're not only bound but predetermined to look just a little bit like ordinary, everyday folk. Just with a few holes/bits hanging off/shabby clothes etc.

    But they passed MW2? The mind doesn't just boggle, it packs its bags and buggers off for a fortnight's holiday in Blackpool. O_o

  • matrim83 #8 2 years ago

    Australolia.

  • Toothball #9 2 years ago

    Hmm, I think this is the Australian censorship board saying that Australians all look like zombies. That's pretty mean of them really.

  • actionfitz #10 2 years ago

    Fuck you Australian Classification Review Board...
    fuck you very much.

    Australian gamers... you are gonna have to vote out these fucking dinosaurs who refuse to accept that adults play games and have a right to 18+ rated content.

  • bad09 #11 2 years ago

    / facepalm and a LOL at the Aussies

  • Charlie_Miso #12 2 years ago

    'censorship BS and appalling lag online makes me wonder why anyone in Australia bothers with gaming'

    Yeah, cause all games need blood/gore and online play. Jesus.

  • kinky_mong #13 2 years ago

    Does this explain why so many Australians leave the fantastic weather of their own country to get bar work in miserable London? They just want to play gory games?

  • andywilkie35 #14 2 years ago

    Weren't all the drug names changed in Fallout 3 because Australia cried about it, so Bethesda changed it for all of regions? Pathetic!

  • Spekingur #15 2 years ago

    This means Aussies won't be able to learn how to survive the zombie apocalypse!

  • davisorle #16 2 years ago

    So they can watch adult and X rated movies since 15 there or the system is plain fucked in all? I have a friend from there. Fiesty biotch ( lova ya Deb ;) ), and we had a convo about how they dont allow some games or delay them over there all the time cause of censoring and bullshit. Ill say it once again. Gaming should be rated like movies in all countries if they wanna have it the "right" way. If you are allowed to watch porn you are allowed to do pixeled chicks. If you are allowed to slaughter or fight for WW2, you should be allowed to watch tit on a movie. Cant be harder to adjust those things if they end up having issues commpaired to other countries all the time.

  • NGCes26294BIV #17 2 years ago

    As people have already pointed out, it's clearly okay to mow down scores of Russian civilians for no reason, but it's unnaceptable to shoot 'zombified' humans who are running at you with one intention = to kill you.

    Aus need to get an 18 rating, and then they need to sack their review board.

  • Eraysor #18 2 years ago

    Strange case of the uncanny valley here. It's alright to have real-looking people shot, but not people that look almost real but aren't.

    Hmmm...

  • jambo74 #19 2 years ago

    The world is LOLing at AUS
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/09 @ 12:06

  • NegativeZero #20 2 years ago

    @actionfitz:
    Australian gamers... you are gonna have to vote out these fucking dinosaurs who refuse to accept that adults play games and have a right to 18+ rated content.

    The particular dinosaur in question has held is seat for 21 years now. It's considered to be one of the safest electorates in his whole state. Also he's a member of one of the two major political parties and is an absolute master of deception and spin, which I think you pretty much have to be to have been a politician for over two decades. He's also absolutely pigheaded stubborn and impossible to have a reasonable argument with because he'll just start firing out bullshit rhetoric.

    Basically Australia won't get our 18+ rating until he retires or otherwise vacates his seat. There is a new party formed specifically to push the 18+ rating issue that is running against him next elections for his electorate, but they honestly have a snowball's chance in hell. They just won't get the votes. Maybe a seat in the senate is possible though.

    Either way, the situation sucks and there's not a lot we can do about it other than complain that it's unfair. And get laughed at by the rest of the world.

  • gjgjg #21 2 years ago

    ill send you Auzzies a l4d2 copy :) take that redtape

  • loopy #22 2 years ago

    "ill send you Auzzies a l4d2 copy :) take that redtape"

    I believe it'd still end up being censored, thanks to the need for Steam. I may be wrong on that though.
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/09 @ 16:45

  • spammage #23 2 years ago

    Germany and Australia, the rest of the free world are laughing at you. This is what the movie industry went through in the 80's (see video nasties) It should be seen as a sign that the videogames market is maturing slowly but surely.