Australia Finally Uncensors Left 4 Dead 2

Steven Bogos

The Taco Man
Jan 17, 2013
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Australia Finally Uncensors Left 4 Dead 2


Valve has finally gotten around to resubmitting the uncensored version of Left 4 Dead 2 under Australia's new R18+ rating.

You may recall that back in the dark ages (ie: a few years ago), Australia lacked an R18+ rating for video games, leading to some particularly violent games being heavily censored, or banned outright. Valve's zombie slaughter simulator Left 4 Dead 2 was one of the games to did eventually get the rating [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/95306-Edited-Version-of-Left-4-Dead-2-Approved-for-Australia] some time after its release, the censored version of the game remained the only one (legally) available to Australians.

Now, it looks like Valve has finally gotten around to resubmitting the game to Australia's classification board [http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=wqtRvYeIZZbkpdY4a7Ma0w%253d%253d&ncdctx=EeoDpmXk7Qq6ivC3AI6rFiiVvoUpwnlR0ScyCWz9uh9qawLmVA0tWHsHBG9lWpXU]. I'm happy to report that the board has approved the game under the R18+ rating, meaning that Left 4 Dead 2 will soon be available to Australians in its full, uncensored glory.

Whether this means that Valve will re-publish the game through Electronic Arts, its distributor in the region, is yet to be known. For PC gamers, you can safely assume that the developer will probably just update the Steam version of the game to bring it in line with the rest of the world.

Ever since Australia got its R18+ rating, some games that would otherwise have been refused are able to get in, however, despite the rating, other games are still inexplicably censored [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/130586-South-Park-The-Stick-of-Truth-Will-be-Censored-in-Australia]. Baby steps, people.

Source: PC Gamer [http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=wqtRvYeIZZbkpdY4a7Ma0w%253d%253d&ncdctx=EeoDpmXk7Qq6ivC3AI6rFiiVvoUpwnlR0ScyCWz9uh9qawLmVA0tWHsHBG9lWpXU]

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RicoADF

Welcome back Commander
Jun 2, 2009
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Yeah about that, I don't know anyone who had the censored version, it wasn't exactly hard to get around. Still it's good they've updated it to current classification standards and removed the issue completely.
 

Dark Knifer

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May 12, 2009
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About damn time. We have been so slow to getting to use our r18 and even then we still censor bullshit.

Not even in video games. The only way to watch game of thrones uncensored for instance is online or get the dvd as our main paid tv service (foxtel) still censors things even when the show is rated r18.
 

RicoADF

Welcome back Commander
Jun 2, 2009
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Dark Knifer said:
About damn time. We have been so slow to getting to use our r18 and even then we still censor bullshit.

Not even in video games. The only way to watch game of thrones uncensored for instance is online or get the dvd as our main paid tv service (foxtel) still censors things even when the show is rated r18.
To be fair that's foxtel being stupid and editing the series rather than the government censoring it. Problem is if they didn't and someone complained it could cause them issues, their removing the risk.
 

CpT_x_Killsteal

Elite Member
Jun 21, 2012
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Finally! It is a great day for us all! And an even greater day when they update it. Seeing all the zombies fade and vanish after shooting them made me sad. Same with chopping them, and making them go boom.
 

small

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Aug 5, 2014
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well i own it. got it free. but it was never worth downloading and installing because of the censorship so this will be interesting for me. thanks for the news :)
 

Dark Knifer

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May 12, 2009
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RicoADF said:
Dark Knifer said:
About damn time. We have been so slow to getting to use our r18 and even then we still censor bullshit.

Not even in video games. The only way to watch game of thrones uncensored for instance is online or get the dvd as our main paid tv service (foxtel) still censors things even when the show is rated r18.
To be fair that's foxtel being stupid and editing the series rather than the government censoring it. Problem is if they didn't and someone complained it could cause them issues, their removing the risk.
Yeah, its dumb though. You'd expect a paid service with clear warnings would not hold anything back.

I don't like how not wanting to upset someone possibly takes priority over showing the show as the artist intended.
 

RicoADF

Welcome back Commander
Jun 2, 2009
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Dark Knifer said:
Yeah, its dumb though. You'd expect a paid service with clear warnings would not hold anything back.

I don't like how not wanting to upset someone possibly takes priority over showing the show as the artist intended.
Yeah, I agree I wish they would put the warning and that's that. However the reason is that because it's broadcast on TV anyone can watch it thus it's too easy for kids to go behind their parents back. Unlike buying in store where they must check your age. True that there's child lockouts available but most people don't know about them etc etc, the usual must accommodate for the lowest common denominator issue.
 

St. Aidan

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Nov 23, 2011
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I remember being gutted about this game being, well, gutted and that piece of garbage AvP game made it through in unscathed....
 

Magmarock

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Sep 1, 2011
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The R18 rating has been out for ages now and Valved only just noticed. Even that Valve didn't have to censer the game as much as they did.
 

Bindal

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May 14, 2012
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Dark Knifer said:
About damn time. We have been so slow to getting to use our r18 and even then we still censor bullshit.
Congratulations, you're now Germany (except warmer and with Kangoroos)
 

Metalrocks

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Jan 15, 2009
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amazing it took that long. but i guess they had to do all the formal legislation crap to get through.
i guess i was one of the lucky ones who got the uncensored version over ebay and even with an aussie account, i could play it uncensored. good thing was that i came across who had the uncut version as well and only rarely bump in to someone who had the cut version. was really stupid that your game turns to cut version when the host has the cut version.
 

LazyAza

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May 28, 2008
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Sweet hope this means I don't have to re-buy it on steam though cause fuck that.
 

StormShaun

The Basement has been unleashed!
Feb 1, 2009
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Well, that is good for the people who wanted to buy it.
Though what does it mean for the people who have already bought it?

Hopefully, it will become an update. Surly it would not cost anything ...
*sigh* Still, it will be quite nice if I ever do replay the game.
 

Flammablezeus

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Dec 19, 2013
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Our R rating hardly even counts as an R rating. Seriously, as it is now, South Park, The Last of Us and Saints Row IV were still censored. Plus Fallout 3 would still be declined a rating if the uncensored version was submitted here (although that's not going to happen since they censored it worldwide so that the game was the same everywhere.)

People need to start demanding a REAL R rating for Australia.
 

hazydawn

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Jan 11, 2013
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Bindal said:
Congratulations, you're now Germany (except warmer and with Kangoroos)
Well, in Germany L4D2 is still censored even though we have an adult rating for it :/