This statement from a Microsoft spokesperson, as told to Edge, has the Internet mildly interested:
We can confirm that Gears of War 2 will not be available in Germany or Japan indefinitely.
Then, a short time later, Microsoft rushed to clarify the statement, saying it had “no announcement” has been made regarding the game’s release in Japan. When you consider that Gears of War was the first Xbox 360 game to sell more than seven copies in Japan, it would be silly not to release it there.
As far as Germany goes, well, the ratings board (the country’s version of the ESRB) refused to rate it back in May.
Not that the kids in IRC aren’t talk-talk-talking their mouths off about how great the game is. Youngsters, I suspect—who else would yap in IRC all day?