A ratings board wouldn't let Valve release a trailer. It "leaked" it instead.
"I think we can't get in trouble for that now.
"I think we can't get in trouble for that now.
The short version
- “I think we can’t get in trouble for that now.
- While many smaller and/or online-focused game makers skip out on getting those ratings these days, at the time, any publisher that wanted space on major retailers’ shelves needed to submit to the ESRB’s standards.
- Those standards included restrictions on how companies could market their games as well.
What happened
Earlier in 2009, the ESRB requested a change to a Left 4 Dead 2 promotional image featuring a hand with three gnawed-off fingers, leaving two intact digits indicating the number of the sequel. To pass the ESRB’s muster, Valve shot a new version with two of those fingers back in place (and simply curled down) that eventually appeared on the game’s box art .
Why it matters
“Faliszek pointed out that this is a game where people are torn apart using a chainsaw,” we reported at the time .
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.