All violent video games to be BANNED in Germany

[Niall!]

All violent video games to be banned in Germany
Friday, 05 Jun 2009 20:06

German ministers have today agreed to ban the production and distribution of all violent video games, with the law only having to go through parliament in the next few weeks.

According to german website Chip Online and supported by Spiegel Online, ministers of the interior of all sixteen German federal states came together for a conference today in Bremerhaven where they agreed to forbid the production and distribution of all video games "where the main part is to realistically play the killing of people or other cruel or unhuman acts of violence against humans or manlike characters."

The country has been infamously hard on violent video games before now, but an outright ban would result in a huge loss for the video games industry in one of its most successful European countries.

The law would result in no Call of Duty, no God of War, no Crysis, no World of Warcraft, no BioShock, no Uncharted, and no Grand Theft Auto.

Moreover, since a ban on the production of violent games would also be included in the law, German studios, such as Crytek, would have to outsource development to other countries.

The law is hoped to come into effect before the country's federal elections in September. The minister of the interior of Lower Saxony commented:

"Violent games lower the inhibition level for real violence and spree killers always played such games before they did the crime."

Note the second part of that sentence: "spree killers always played such games before they did the crime." That's quite a statement; one we expect they'd like to support with the German school shootings on March 11th, which were linked to Counterstrike and Far Cry 2.

For the law to become a reality it must go through parliament in the next few weeks or months. We'll keep you posted and hope the ministers are just blowing smoke.

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/xbox360/all-violent-video-games-be-banned-in-germany-$1301757.htm

World of Warcraft being banned... prepare yourself for mass suicide and immigration.

[GommeInc]

It would be interesting if it is the violent game industry that is causing all these murders and killings. I suppose the proof would never arise though, even if the levels of killings in Germany drop, dramatically or slowly. I suspect they'll rise though, people will hate not having violent games and would go crazy. :P The guiy behind this is going to get egged like Nick Griffin, and called a Nazi, for the sake of it.

[Kenneth]

Its gonna cause piracy to rise. Like its not bad enough already.

[Niall!]

Its gonna cause piracy to rise. Like its not bad enough already.

I agree, it's going to skyrocket.

[dbgtz]

Wheyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
There goes a reason to buy a console in germany.
German guy: "WOO MODERN WARFARE 2 SOON"
TV news: "It has just been announced that a state wide ban on any realistic violent games, including a favourite of call of duty"
*REMOVED*
Edited by PaulMacC (Forum Super Moderator): Please do not avoid the filter.

[Jordy]

Technically it wouldn't be piracy if it's not being sold in the country, it'd just be illegal content. Like you can download most anime legally in the UK as it's not on sale here, yet in America/Japan it's piracy.

I personally think the German's are overlooking the fact how big the gaming industry is, and how a large amount of gaming contains violent video games, this would no doubt affect console sales.

As for stopping the psycho's who do these things, if they have the will-power to kill someone cause they're influenced by a video game, I'm sure they'll have the will-power to illegally import violent video games. Along with a large proportion of the population who I have no doubt would easily get hold of violent video games if they want.

[J0SH]

Hopefully I will no longer come accross any nazis on nazi zombies, hehe.

[Caution]

"the killing of people or other cruel or unhuman acts of violence against humans"I know I shouldn't but I just think Nazi's when I see that. But yeah, that's a bit tight, people will get around thee law though, I can't see how they will for WoW though.

[Jordan,]

that is bad tbh on the consumers and manufactors/game makers

[J0SH]

that is bad tbh on the consumers and manufactors/game makers

90% of sales are from United Kingdom and America though..

[Favourtism]

**** the germans

[GommeInc]

90% of sales are from United Kingdom and America though..
It's still bad though, any company that's forced to make a loss in any market usually gets hit hard, especially when some of these companies originate in said country.

[AlexOC]

I'd be pissed of if it happened here, Is it for everyone not just young people?

[GommeInc]

I'd be pissed of if it happened here, Is it for everyone not just young people?
It sounds like everyone, because young people can get "violent games" ordered online or bought for them by other people. There hasn't been a mention of tougher laws, just ditching them.

[Mint]

This is just crazy, loads will be sneaked in.

[ItsDave]

Many people are gonna lose out, there will be a protest, the government will see the mistake they made and reverse the decision. End of.

[J0SH]

It's all angry german kids fault.

[Niall!]

Guys I just got 20 years for playing Halo.

[Wahey]

My god, moddleycodled

[Kyle!]

Many people are gonna lose out, there will be a protest, the government will see the mistake they made and reverse the decision. End of.

Yeah exactly what he said. Can't believe the German Government think they have that much power to do such a thing, the people will stop them.

[Swinkid]

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/xbox360/all-violent-video-games-be-banned-in-germany-$1301757.htm

World of Warcraft being banned... prepare yourself for mass suicide and immigration.

Still ways to get WoW in germany:

> Download illigaly Then buy keys of the internet.
> Go on holiday, buy game, change the realm list file.
> Able to download the game from Blizz's Site.


Same too for most other games, but for consoles, what Decent games are there going to be left?

[Jam]

Same too for most other games, but for consoles, what Decent games are there going to be left?

Guitar Hero & Rock Band
NFS
Forza
FIFA & NBA
Top Spin
LBP
Most XBLA/PSN Games

Apart from Halo, I don't play shooters anyway.

[Monkwrestler]

90% of sales are from United Kingdom and America though..
Well even if it is just 1% of the games industry

The game industry makes in revenue between 50-60 Billion dollars a year world wide and for the instance if that happened that is 500 million gone just like that as they can't sell it and you think that is bad? in times like this it's a real kick as any game designers that are actually in Germany get hit even worse as they can't make the games either and if they get there main revenue off making first person shooters (or beneath one of the items) then it will kill them financially.

[Oleh]

I guess 80% of good games are shooters, the feeling of pumping bullets into flesh on a game is amazing

[RichardKnox]

Can you imagine the photos of armed police in riot gear beside the newspaper headline 'Armed police seize Call of Duty games with street value of 10,000 euros'. Games will be sold like crack to the most hardcore of german geeks for like £100 a time.

[Favourtism]

Can you imagine the photos of armed police in riot gear beside the newspaper headline 'Armed police seize Call of Duty games with street value of 10,000 euros'. Games will be sold like crack to the most hardcore of german geeks for like £100 a time.
brb gettin a hit of cod4

[Niall!]

I guess 80% of good games are shooters, the feeling of pumping bullets into flesh on a game is amazing

Haha, oh wow, 80% of good games are FPS? So, Mario, Little Big Planet, Sonic, LoZ, puzzle games and simulations don't exist then?

[Jassim]

government just want to prove that they can do something. Violent games have nothing to do with anything in the real world.