On the Left 4 Dead Ban

[Wyes]

Was Call of Duty banned in Oz? World at war allowed for dismemberment, burning people to death with flame throwers and molotovs, running them over with tanks, bayonnet kills as well as depicting torture and executions, some of which you could perform.

I guess its only bad when you are mutilating fictional monsters. Germans and Japanese are fair game.

Even CoD 4 had Price torturing then executing a captive.

It wasn't banned, thankfully.

What I find most frustrating in this situation is that there's very little awareness of this problem in the general public; most gamers don't even really know about it. The problem is right now the issue is taking a backseat to more pressing things, like the internet censor.

Another problem is the immature reactions of gamers to this situation. E-mailing Michael Atkinson with threats is not a solution, all it does is cement his opinion that gamers do not have the maturity to differentiate fiction from reality.

There was real hope when the discussion paper was still going ahead, but then Atkinson withdrew his support from it, again demonstrating his undemocratic veto power.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

I can't help but feel like this entire article is like walking into a park, and screaming bloody murder at the grass and trees for having the audacity for being grass and trees. The simple fact of the matter is the ACB is doing it's job. They're paid to do this, and they are working while they're at it. They have to watch the dirty movies, have to play the violent games, and are paid to do nothing other than give the game a classification. For the American readers in the audience, this article is the equivalent of attacking the ESRB for giving a game an M-rating.

It's not the ACB's fault that they have refuse classification because there's no classification this game falls under. The office in charge of classification, the Attorney-General's Department of Australia, is the body that is almost exclusively at fault here. The irony though, is that the department is primarily for the creation of an R18+ classification. However, since the department requires a unanimous vote, there is a single opponent to the classification. An attorney-general named Michael Atkinson.[footnote]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Film_and_Literature_Classification_(Australia)#Classification_of_video_games[/footnote]

So, instead of harboring ill-will toward the ACB, it would work more effective to appeal to Mr. Atkinson [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.144722.3256690] 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.

And the saddest part is, I severely doubt anyone is going to read this.

While I agree, at this point I think the only way to "appeal" to Mr. Atkinson in a way that he will listen to involves a loaded gun and his head. He's shown himself in interviews to be extremely derisive towards the gaming populace in general and completely obstinate in his view that video games have greater impact than any other medium and must therefore be restricted, even to adults. As near as I can tell, the only compromise he'll listen to is one that says his personal view is completely, objectively and absolutely correct.

Check out the Gamespot interview if you don't believe me.

Seriously, this guy is a nut. He'd have been considered oppressive and dictatorial in the '50s. [http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/grandtheftauto4/video/6208496/gamespot-au-interview-with-michael-atkinson]

 

[teisjm]

I'm sorry for you people (australians) well, at least you've got great beaches and kangaroos.

 

[Odjin]

Good... one horrible, boring and mindless game less. Makes room for "real" games which are interesting, challenging and have actual gameplay. Yes I don't feel sorry for this game to fall under the table. In fact I would not feel sorry for most of those "gory" games since they totally lack what makes good games: gameplay. Many game devers forget that a good game and good gameplay does not require massive gore. In fact massive gore is the sign of poor games since devers need to distract players with gore from their flaws in the game. And you are right, your country is a warning... a warning to game developers that crap games don't have a future

OK I can spot several flaws with that argument. First I fail to see the logic of how having gore in a game is an automatic predicate for bad gameplay. Take L4D. L4D has gore so purely on that basis it must be bad to play? L4D has great gameplay in my book- immersive, atmospheric and all the makings of a good FPS- plus the great co-op design of it all. The gore adds to the aforementioned atmosphere. Secondly- "need to distract players with gore from their flaws in the game"? I REALLY fail to see how that logic follows- I know of no games (and to my knowledge there are indeed few, if any that exist) that have "gore" as a redeeming factor: i.e. Oh the level design is awful- but I don't notice that because of all the BLOOD ^^ If level design is crap then level design is crap- the average gamer is not going to be placated by excessive gibs if the game in which they're in is awful, developers simply don't think like that about the vast, overwhelming majority of their markets. I agree with your point about gore not being a necessity in a game but to argue that gore is a bad thing regardless of situation seems somewhat illogical.Gameplay IS one of the most (if not THE most) important factor in a game- but gore, to my knowledge doesn't REALLY have a VAST effect on gameplay. And for another thing- I LOVE the fact that you're slagging off L4D2- calling it a "horrible, boring and mindless game" before even having played it properly And I agree that L4D clearly isn't a "real" game because of its blood and gore. I mean- because it has blood and gore it can't really be thought of as a real...oh wait.

On a less long and rambling note- I agree with the above quote from Mark Twain- and as has been said many times before ACB and other censorship bodies: Children=protected if nasty, evil video game is not played by children- ergo stop children from buying said game and stop parents letting them play said game= problem solved.

Of course the gameplay is the most important part but if devers would respect this then there would not be such a huge pile of mediocre or bad games. Now to the point of gore as selling point. Just look at recent games on your favorite game news site or whatever place. Many present themselves better or buy-worthy because they have as much gore, violence or sex possible. Why do they need this? Because the game itself is a run-of-the mill mediocre FPS/RPG/whatever. Instead of innovating in gameplay they try to make as much gore/sex/violence as they can. But the truth is that a good game with good gameplay, catchy story and god challenges does not require gore everywhere. In fact the best game I know has little blood or gore but is one of the best selling games every. This is why I say this should be taken by game devers as a sign to rethink this more-gore=better-sales crap they have going on.

 

[Lord Krunk]

I'm saddened that the game was banned there. How will he review L4D2 if he can't get it? Oh wait...GAME TRADERS ROBINA. Good luck Yahtzee, hope you get it.

He can still review it. He should be able to download it on Steam.

Nah, Steam blocks off all games that haven't officially come out in Australia, so banned games would get the same treatment. For example, you can't buy Ghostbusters off Steam; the page doesn't seem to exist, but there's a link to the page in the respective Steam News article.

Hell, I'm just going to buy a copy while I'm in America. They can enforce whether we buy it or not, but they can't enforce whether we play it.

EDIT: Is Atkinson dead yet? He's the real problem.

 

[domicius]

Ah, yes, I see the problem. You are trying to use *reason* on a problem that was caused by pretty much the opposite... *unreason*.

Good luck!

 

[Pillypill]

That's just not right, And if there isn't an R18 rating, why don't they just make one?

Thankfully, i'm sure the lovely people down at GAMETRADERS ROBINA, will be able to hook ol' Yahtzee up.

Aren't the things you inject into yourself, in Fo3, psycho MedX and Stimpacks, a war drug, A stamina booster, and a muscel stimulator? (i don't know what the hell a stimpack is but it's got "Stim" in the name so...)

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

A violent game was refused classification because of outdated legislation, therefore a police state can only be just around the corner.

Interesting logic there.

I like this. As much as I feel that banning a game rather than just giving it a high age rating is ridculous, it's a bit silly to say that this will lead to a facist dictatorahip.

 

[hazakura]

A great read, loved lines just after the quotes. But anyways, The Australlian Government is trying to help low-moraled kids....I can barely say that with a striaght face..
What? do they expect kids to go to school with an axe or chainsaw? No,they have brains! Humans and Zombies cannot be confused with each other, a kid wont hack apart his fellow student. Reason? The kid (first of all) isn't a zombie. Secondly, (as we all know that Video games are the scapegoat of society) People can figure out that there are consiquences, and that people won't respawn. (In this case,reappear in a closet.)

Anyways,to sum my little rant up. Great,thought-provoking work, and the Aussie's are being a bit overprotective. (Wait...couldn't he just get it through Steam?)

 

[Velocirapture07]

I find this stuff really depressing. It just doesn't seem possible that this commission (ACB) has the ability to decide what GROWN people play in the comfort of their own homes.

This is a HUGE violation of free speech, which here in America is taken very seriously....
God...its like 1984 or something...

 

[Wyes]

I find this stuff really depressing. It just doesn't seem possible that this commission (ACB) has the ability to decide what GROWN people play in the comfort of their own homes.

This is a HUGE violation of free speech, which here in America is taken very seriously....
God...its like 1984 or something...

Funny story, we don't actually have the right to free speech in Australia. There's an assumed right to free speech, and assumed right to freedom of expression etc., but the rights themselves are nowhere in writing. While common law tends to favour these rights, they're not always upheld...

 

[Peanut Butter]

Holy batman, i never relised how strict the Ozzy gameboard are! Won't it make sense just to make a strict 18+ certificate?
Or an in-game feature where it would kindly offer a "too much gore and blood for you? Do you want the "infected" to shoot candy from their guts instead? YES - NO"

great, little kids will think that shooting peoples guts produces candy....lol

 

[Del-Toro]

The ABC: protecting children's innocence by banning games their parents may not even buy them anyway.

 

[Metalrocks]

australia is still harmles. i live in australia but i lived a very long time of my life in switzerland.
in germany, they are even worser. it just needs one drop of blood in the game, and they are already upsad about it. they have 18+ ratings, but the game is still cut. most of the games you cant get in a shop. if you want to get quake 3 in germany, good luck finding it. quake 3 is bad because you get points for killing.
in quake 4, they dint only cut out the blood and gore, they also cut out the strogg change scene because its too brutal.
half life; good luck too. you can only get the german version. it has no blood and the seals are replaced with robots. no joke.
germany has the tuffest child protection in the world (so i have hurd).

there were few school shootings in germany. the government blamed counter strike, that this kid took a gun and killed some peopel at school. counter strike is the game which makes peopel go postal. so they say.
the truth was, that this kid had trouble at home, got bullied at school and the teachers dint like him either. did they say anything about this??? no, they dint. it was all the violent video games he played.
with FEAR they ahd trouble too. they wanted to have all the blood cut out but monolyth said no. later on germany agreed to leave the blood but you cant dismental the bodies.

its stupid anyway that left 4 dead 2 is banned. how come part 1 is not?? michael atkinson is a stupid idiot. i was shocked when i came back to australia and saw that the highest rating for games are MA 15+. thats so wrong. it really makes you wonder how so stupid people like atkinson can get a job like this. he has for sure no idea about games.

but as i said before. germany is much worser then australia. i can go on about germany and there stupid rules about violent games. they really think, they make germany a better place by banning all these games and movies.

 

[mehmehmeh]

why dont you ask somone to send it to you from another country

 

[NeoAC]

So can we get some names about the renaissance critics that make up the ACB? And addresses? And lists of their childhood fears? I just like to know what I'm working with here.

 

[MolestedGibbon]

Just because its not going to be sold at retail doesn't mean people won't play it; it's a Valve game, Steam duh.
One of my first games was Dino Crisis 2. M Rated for some reason.
When I was 8 I was playing Vice City.
I'm 14 and I recently bought GTA IV which had a giant red 18 sticker on it. Did the clerk so much as bat an eyelid? No of course not because no one actually takes the ratings seriously.
Enlighten me as to what there is in Team Fortress 2 that makes it unsuitable for anyone under 16/17.

 

[Ninja_X]

Yahzee, if you wanna organize a revolution against the Australian authorities then me and my army of ninjas are at your service.

 

[tonsoffun111111]

Maybe the Australian government is trying to make the world forget that it was a prison colony by being all goody to shoes

 

[theSovietConnection]

*Snip*

Thanks for that bit of logic. Good to see some people can look at this situation and not go "OMG POLICE STATE!"

Not much else to add to this, NewClassic summed it up quite nicely.