Despite the fact I don't actually live in Australia, I do sympathize with your feelings.
Compared to Gears of War and such, Left 4 Dead 2 is quite mild.

This really is all bullshit. What's even worse for us hateful yanks in the US, is that Jack Thompson may be coming back. Which blows goats for US gamers.

But there's nothing I can do but bitch about it though so...

Fuck it.

NewClassic:
So, instead of harboring ill-will toward the ACB, it would work more effective to appeal to Mr. Atkinson to change the ruling. As it stands, he's the only thing between the ACB and a full set of classifications for Video Game media.

You know, I really doubt that he's going to change his mind on this. It seems that no matter what evidence to the contrary or reasonable arguments you throw at him, he's simply going to dig his heels in, close his eyes tightly, stick his fingers in his ears and shout "LALALALALA I'M NOT LISTENING GAMES CORRUPT CHILDREN!"

Prolly be cheaper to just buy a US 360, than to move over here :P.

Also it seems like Australia is going to be the first to go if there ever was to be a zombie apocalypse. I mean you guys just wouldn't have the experience to survive!

yourbeliefs:
Interesting.. but if Fallout 3 was refused classification, how did Yahtzee get to review it? Did he visit his friends at GAMETRADERS ROBINA??

They altered it to accommodate it's rating.

OT: I've never understood things like this. If you execute someone in a game and you see in a resolution of 30000 x 21000 their face dismember in slow motion, I can understand why that may be a little controversial.

Especially if that was an entire game.

This a game where the world has been infected by zombies though, zombies that attack and can kill you. Shaun of the Dead is more violent then L4D for God sake!

I think the fact that everything is comprised entirely of pixels counters the interactivity argument.

Thankfully I live in the UK, where games are rarely banned. Although this whole ESRB over BBC choice is pissing me off: I'm 15, and the other day I saw AC 2 rated 15 on a pre-order box by the BBFC.

Now I'm seeing it on pre-order boxes rated 18 by the ESRB. They rated Mass Effect 18 for strong violence! The very little blood you get is so minimal (and also green) that you barely notice it.

BBFC rated it 12 by the way. Films don't get this shit.

Why are we allowed to own Microwaves? You may have to bare with me on this one...

A microwave is a useful tool for cooking eggs, defrosting chickens and bringing your hamster out of hibernation. However, the moment you put a peice of tin foil in there it becomes something akin to a bomb...

More or less every home has one of these mini-explosion factories, but we're trusted not to put spoons in it too regularly. That we're clever enough for, thanks for your confidence mr 'whoever decides this shit'!

Why then, can't the same quota of faith be placed upon the gaming community?

'What if a kid see's the gore and it corrupts him into a life of cross-dressing, gerbil stuffing, granny rapery?' - Well maybe the game wasn't designed for children to put your Pink Floyd CD's in! Wait...I'm mixing metaphors - how about we trust responsible parents to ward children from such an influence as they would a Microwave, Steak Knife or Sweaty Man in a Kagool?

Being a U.S. citizen, not being as heavily censored as those "down under" I need someone to explain something to me.

How difficult would it be to order a "banned" game from outside the borders? GAME TRADERS ROBINA not withstanding, will Amazon or Ebay (or a person)ship a game?

I once ordered Star Fox 2 for the SNES (entirely in Japanese) from Japan. Granted it wasn't banned in the U.S. but it wasn't released either.

Yahtzee Croshaw:
The point is, this might not seem important to you foreigners with your fancy food and your crap beaches, but Australia is a warning. It shows the world just how easy it can be to suppress what you and your hoary minions disapprove of, by exploiting bureaucracy and waving the banner of "think of the children."

Well, it is kind of important to me, since I too live in a country that bans games with a passion (and looking at my countries history, one would think that banning media would rise a few eyebrows, instead we hear things like "we can't critize Israel due to our history", but I'm getting offtopic).
The good side is: globalization. No matter what reason some bore in the government-organization can come up with to withhold a game from my bloodlusting fingers, I can always import it from the UK.

Melancholy_Ocelot:
Being a U.S. citizen, not being as heavily censored as those "down under" I need someone to explain something to me.

How difficult would it be to order a "banned" game from outside the borders? GAME TRADERS ROBINA not withstanding, will Amazon or Ebay (or a person)ship a game?

I once ordered Star Fox 2 for the SNES (entirely in Japanese) from Japan. Granted it wasn't banned in the U.S. but it wasn't released either.

It's usually not too difficult. It's not actually banned from the country, it's just that the stores are not allowed to sell it.

And I still want to go to Australia!

Anyway, if they keep going like this, they'll get voted out of power anyway. Plus, never forget the power of import.

That really sucks, and it does infuriate me. I may live in the US but I still feel bad for Yahtzee and and all the Australian gamers that have to suffer because of this crap. Seriously how can they put such bands and restrictions on games which we love to play and enjoy? It's like if we prohibited Australia's alcohol because minors could get hold of it. How would that make you feel Australian government bitches?

"And let me tell you, if there's anything that might make me consider leaving the beaches behind and fleeing to that crumbling, syphilitic hell-hole across the water, it's the videogame releases.

Didn't anyone pay attention to this? Does he mean that he might actually consider leaving Australia? That would be something. And is the hell hole he's talking about the US? Why does feel that way? If he moved to the US he would no longer be paying excessive prices on his games, he'll be able to get the games on release and not wait like he has to now In Australia, and in the US no games can ever be banned so that is also a great advantage of living here as a gamer.

randommaster:

oppp7:
Why does everyone hate blood and gore? It's anatomy. And violence is a natural occurrence. Kids are gonna see it in school anyways...

Do you live in Sparta or something, where blood and gore are an everyday part of school?

No, but kids share things, such as swear words and other things parents want to hide from them. Trying to keep it from them will just make them into social outcasts.

This is exactly why Yahtzee should be Governor-General of Australia.

Love the 'Logan's Run' reference. I swear, if I was the old man at the end of that movie I would have decreed that every minute my nob goes un-soaked by the female greens its was punishable by twenty minutes of french tickling.

If anyone gets that reference more power to you.

Those must be some damn-good beaches.

Are gamers the only ones who realize that it's really easy to "protect" kids from these kinds of games by, oh, I don't know, NOT LETTING THE LITTLE BASTARDS PLAY IT? Or by teaching them that it's just a fucking game and not real life?

I am curious... If a game that is not suited for minors is refused a rating, then what is the point of rating?

oppp7:

randommaster:

oppp7:
Why does everyone hate blood and gore? It's anatomy. And violence is a natural occurrence. Kids are gonna see it in school anyways...

Do you live in Sparta or something, where blood and gore are an everyday part of school?

No, but kids share things, such as swear words and other things parents want to hide from them. Trying to keep it from them will just make them into social outcasts.

Aww, Swords are so much cooler than s-words.

Longshot:
I am curious... If a game that is not suited for minors is refused a rating, then what is the point of rating?

The point is to ban all media, you don't like. But if you ban porn, or rock music, you'll have some troubles. It's much easier to ban games.
However, sooner or later those old coots at Australian government will all die. And something will change.

Oh dear, It seems someones spoken their minds. Re-education camp for you mister!
Is it just me or is Australia now like China under Mao Tse Tung?

*changing gears*
The whole "think of the children" thing is tripe and Yahtzee hit the nail on the head, brutally, with lots of violent gore. You can just refuse to sell the game to people under 18 and there, problem solved. Its the bureaucrats who can't stand seeing others have more fun than them.

The Great JT:
Further proof old people have no place in any sort of position of power.

Burn the decrepit old fools!

GAME TRADERS ROBINA. Gotta keep it alive.
Okay, it is sad that this has occured, due to the rampant ignorance of ONE PERSON, not the ACB which is just following the rules as they are put them. "think of the children" is the same stupid ignorant thinking as "no child left behind." Nobody learns anything, the parents are kept out of the loop when they should be the ones thinking of the children and actually doing their portion of educating them. This is also the case of punishing everyone for the actions, or inactions, of the few and far between. I am not sure which is worse, the progression to a police state, or the government coming up with new ways telling parents it is okay to do NOTHING for your child, because the govt will do it for them. Argh.
And people, seriously, putting that much on one person only gives power to him. STFU about Jack Thompson already. He didn't even have any power except the influence he had, and you are only proving the point.

I'd be all for a Logan's Run system if it means I get kidnapped by Jenny Agutter. My red crystal has been flashing for nearly a decade now.

Snooch_to_the_nooch:
Love the 'Logan's Run' reference. I swear, if I was the old man at the end of that movie I would have decreed that every minute my nob goes un-soaked by the female greens its was punishable by twenty minutes of french tickling.

He does have a point there.

They are shits. Ive played through L4D and im fifteen, i dont go round with a shotgun killing people saying your a zombie BLAM

i feel that. everything yathzee said in this article applies to germany as well.

randommaster:

oppp7:
Why does everyone hate blood and gore? It's anatomy. And violence is a natural occurrence. Kids are gonna see it in school anyways...

Do you live in Sparta or something, where blood and gore are an everyday part of school?

Because kids don't dissect hearts and eyeballs in school today?

you're preaching to the choir on this one. First they kill off Bridget on Neighbours, then they ban Left4Dead2? the only obvious course is, in fact, to boycott australia.

But then again, the whole world tried to do the same thing to my country, so maybe I shouldn't punch my saviour.

wow...i still like australia but i'd keep a friend in america to send me games that are new at my request then i'd send him money.i still hate america...or atleast living here.with this economy i can't even get a job.16 years old and every job for 16 year olds are taken by 40 year olds.

I live in the United States and well apparently the ACB has never seen a rabid 11 year old who listens to rap, wears baggy trousers and vomits verbal diarrhea. Seriously, kids today know what sex is even before they get sex education classes and will act "gangsta" even though it'll end up with then sniffing crack through 3 holes in their noses. If it were me, I'd pick playing video games over acting "gangsta".

Atleast the old men running the film and classification system haven't heard of the internet yet. This game is going to be the most pirated game in Australia when it comes out, ironically by the under 15s that these Dust Collectors want to "protect". Hell, 5 seconds on Google will give you instructions and tools to make any activity virtually invisible, the Great Firewall of Australia will only be an inconvenience to those who obey the law.

You say this as if it already isn't happening in the US.

Yes, the Grand Olde USA, place where you can show a man being evicerated on prime time TV (or have a corpse being eaten by cats... recent episode of Bones) but Boobies?

HEAVEN FORBID!!! The only time you can see boobies is when you are below 2 or above 18, otherwise someone needs to be ARRESTED!!!!!!

:P

Wow, he truly ripped the Australian ratings board into pieces. And he made me love every single second of it.

When is GAMEDAMAGE premiering?