Author Topic: Violent videogames banned from Germany. (Read 29407 times)

TimmiT · « **on:** June 08, 2009, 02:01:25 PM »

http://www.chip.de/news/Innenminister-Killerspiel-Verbot-beschlossen_36791376.html
Rough translation:

Quote

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.

Piers · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2009, 02:50:56 PM »

Worse than Australia

AJ · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2009, 03:05:20 PM »

I almost wrote up a decent sized rant on it, but ... eh. Not really worth it. Can basically be summed up with the words "fuck that shit."

AnKylo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 08, 2009, 03:11:59 PM »

Am I the only person who kind of finds this amusing?

ila · « **Reply #4 on:** June 08, 2009, 03:40:23 PM »

Guess the Germans got sick of Medal of Honor.

'Rixx · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2009, 04:15:54 PM »

Luckily, such a law would be declared unconstitutional here.

Squishdiboo · « **Reply #6 on:** June 08, 2009, 04:22:15 PM »

This will only give Germany an advantage over us, intellectually.

Sputnik · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2009, 04:45:24 PM »

Quote from: 'Rixx on June 08, 2009, 04:15:54 PM

Luckily, such a law would be declared unconstitutional here.

european constitutions also include big words such as "freedom", "human" and "individual". don't be so sure.

AnKylo · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2009, 04:54:24 PM »

However, in America, business is king. I doubt they would want to lose more businesses in this recession.

Magi · « **Reply #9 on:** June 08, 2009, 05:10:19 PM »

Who cares about Germany anyway?

Shev · « **Reply #10 on:** June 08, 2009, 05:20:44 PM »

I do. They make cars and shit.

If the ban doesn't include imports, this will mean more monies for everyone else.

AnKylo · « **Reply #11 on:** June 08, 2009, 05:21:46 PM »

This could all be easily solved with modchips.

Josie · « **Reply #12 on:** June 08, 2009, 05:22:44 PM »

Are video games already protected under free speech? If not, there's no reason they can't be banned and just.. not found to be protected when it's brought to court.

Seph · « **Reply #13 on:** June 08, 2009, 05:29:33 PM »

Quote from: Joshi on June 08, 2009, 05:22:44 PM

Are video games already protected under free speech? If not, there's no reason they can't be banned and just.. not found to be protected when it's brought to court.

Haven't cases of videogame censorship been taken to court and it was found they were protected? That would introduce precedent, which is what a lot of cases are decided on.

Nik Jam · « **Reply #14 on:** June 08, 2009, 08:05:19 PM »

Germany has free speech?

Josie · « **Reply #15 on:** June 08, 2009, 08:31:54 PM »

Sigh see this is what over-reliance on the quote tag has done to reading comprehension :[

Quote from: Joshi on June 08, 2009, 05:22:44 PM

Quote from: 'Rixx on June 08, 2009, 04:15:54 PM
Luckily, such a law would be declared unconstitutional here.

Are video games already protected under free speech? If not, there's no reason they can't be banned and just.. not found to be protected when it's brought to court.

Does this help?

Seph · « **Reply #16 on:** June 08, 2009, 09:37:48 PM »

Er. I know what you meant and who you were replying to.

EDIT: But someone else might not have!

noeko · « **Reply #17 on:** June 08, 2009, 11:16:16 PM »

don't worry germany just keep trying because if you try hard enough everyone will forget world war 2 happened

Squishdiboo · « **Reply #18 on:** June 08, 2009, 11:46:45 PM »

Hitler didn't have videogames and he was responsible for more deaths than the worst serial killers. . . .

Squishdiboo · « **Reply #19 on:** June 08, 2009, 11:56:08 PM »

But I bet if he had WoW he wouldn't have done it at all. The man had a lot of angry nerd rage within. If only he had videogames to help him deal with it. . . . .

Dr.Eggfang · « **Reply #20 on:** June 09, 2009, 12:08:24 AM »

"I love the smell of burning gamers in the morning."

SuitCase · « **Reply #21 on:** June 09, 2009, 12:31:50 AM »

Wow, this is terrible and depressing. Poor Germans.

Mr. T · « **Reply #22 on:** June 09, 2009, 06:38:55 AM »

Not surprising, considering how ban-happy Europeans (and specially Germany) have gotten.
Still sucks.

H Hog · « **Reply #23 on:** June 09, 2009, 12:51:14 PM »

Wow. Okay, so take away violent videogames, and you take away an outlet for "Angry German Kids" the whole country over.
They're gonna need SOME way to relieve their frustration, and somehow, I don't think a riveting, decidedly un-gory match of Tetris is going to cut the mustard.

Sofox · « **Reply #24 on:** June 09, 2009, 01:48:00 PM »

About being "unconsitutional", does Germany have a constitution?
I ask because Ireland does, and the UK does not. I'm guessing you only get a constitution if you emerge as a country after fighting some other force for your freedom. You tend to appreciate and protect freedom more when you have to earn it.

Anyway, the politicians did this before the elections, I doubt that's a coincidence so I wonder what the political angle is. Must be strong opposition party or something.... Oh of course! It's just like in Ireland, the government is in everyone's black books for not handling the country well before and when it hit the recession. Naturally the government's going to resort to whatever it can to regain the public's favour to help prevent them getting booted out at the elections.
It'll be interesting to see the consequences of this.