German Pols Push To Ban Development Of Violent Games

@laencythe: quite unnecessary? I'm pretty sure that goes for every comment posted on kotaku. Look, im really sorry your panties are bunched up that tight, but do everyone a favor and lose the high horse please. Everyone else as well. Calm the fuck down.

Ghostradomus

@HALO-32: I'll ban you, bitch!

@ReconToaster.: More like the age of laziness. :p

klo8

@laencythe:

I have a friend that lives in downtown Dresden that IM's me all the NPD doings in his area. How he has to shout "Germany no.1" after soccer games to keep his ass from getting beaten (he's Indian) and pix of all the marches, rallies, and posters they hang around condemning "criminal foreigners" in their country. Never mind that most of their old top people and party creators were former Waffen-SS I guess.

Either way, this country has far more to worry about than violence in video games.

I did read something about Wolfenstein being severely censored in Germany when it comes out. References to Nazis are okay (but the word Nazi cannot be used), references to Hitler are not okay at all, etc etc. Although I understand it's the developer itself that is choosing to do that, rather then to allow the game to (mostly likely) be banned. And something like that I don't necessarily agree with, but I can understand just how sensitive a topic like that can be. But this, on the other hand, is just plain rediculous and has absolutely no point to it. Just who determines if a game is *violent* or not?

Kovitlac

@ReconToaster.:
No,not at all.Willhelm II actually suggested/demanded(varies depending on the source)not to engage in a war(yet)towards austria which simply ignored the request.
Giving germany the responsibility afterwards although its a fact that another land started the war is just silly and illogical.How you can even support that is beyond me.

@Delano_J: tha's socialism, buddy, not fascism.

laencythe

@fELIXADER: well that's what happens when you consistently vote christians and socialists into government. next time vote Pirate or FBI.

laencythe

@dry-roasted-peanuts: ooohhh, nice one.

laencythe

@Dinopoulos: sorry to break it to you, but the NPD is practically irrelevant by now and they have almost no funds left.
if you wanna rant on extremist parties, rant on republicans and DVU, those were allowed on the EU elections.

laencythe

@Asbestos_Underwear: The Nazis were hardly the first to attempt to gain control by enforcing censorship and outlawing rival political parties. Officially sanctioned acts of censorship were common in Germany and most other European states long before Hitler came to power.

I do not think of Jewish Germans as being Jewish first, German second, and neither does anyone I know. Leftist parties, once outlawed and persecuted by the Nazis, now have 53 seats in the German parliament. The claim that Hitler's methods of controlling society are still "firmly in place" is laughable.

No German citizen has ever had his rights taken away for being a muslim, and no video game has ever been outlawed in Germany. Games indexed by the BPjM can be bought freely by anyone over the age of 18. Even private posession of games labeled as being confiscated (such as Manhunt or Dead Rising) is legal for adults.

You've got it backwards. The ideology is pretty much all that's left of the Nazis.

milford

@Go Go Gadget: Thugmunk:

i do believe is because of ww2, and it is stuck really hard in the head of a lot of german politicians, mainly in political parties like the CDU/CSU and the SPD

its for the same reason paintball they wanted to ban paintball. they seem to just want to hang a sign next to the german flag that says

"Germany: No longer Starting World Wars, Land of Ponies and Beer"

RonTom

@dgkz0idberg: Dude if the CSU exists outside of Bayern I pray for the world. I live in Muenchen.

Every time I hear them talk I want to drill my skull out.

trunkenmath

@trunkenmath: bayern? or a whole other country?

@Grind_Axis: Yes, it is. I've been playing it since it came out and I'm tired of staring at the Ubisoft logo for five seconds ¬¬

Crytek! Where are you, damnit?

Does anyone realise that, in fact, there WAS violence before videogames were invented?

The WWII...? Oh yeah... blame Treyarch =)

They tried to ban Paintball, Laserdome and Gotcha recently and failed. I hope they will fail when it comes to games, too. It's definetely a violation of our german constitutional rights.

I hope we get some backup from the EU (european union), cause in most of the other countries you can buy any game uncensored.

I don't mind youth protection laws, but as long as I am legally able to choose and buy the games I wont, I will not accept to be dictated from our political leadership.

Nevertheless, there is always austrian mailorder for the opressed german gameaddicts.

Helloooooooo NAZIS. Shall we pitch games into fire like books now too? Which race of people do they intend to attempt to cleanse the world of next? Watch out kids the stage is set for WWIII all that's left is for the cast to assemble. I knew they were just biding their time... What's the saying, those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it?

Tyr4nt

*sigh*

What is it about politicians huh? Is there some sort of mental defect that comes with the occupation? Something bad happens and they automatically want to strip away peoples rights.

I mean, seriously, would you ban tools if somebody bashed another persons head in with a tool box? Not only are there many legitimate uses for tools, but such a ban would likely be unlawful anyway.

Yet if somebody is shot politicians want to ban guns. If somebody is killed by a person who played violent videogames politicians want to ban violent videogames.

So what's next, banning candy after somebody gets a cavity?

Sheesh, what a bunch of whiners.

WolvenOne

@Dehnus: Yeah, it's a bit hypocritical to ban violent video games and still have that goddamned conscription.
But I firmly believe, that this is just fishing for votes. After all, there is virtually no shooter that is published here uncut, and many major games, e.g. Gears Of War, aren't published at all here. On top of that, we already have legislation banning media that glorifies violence.

It doesn't concern me as long as they don't ban RPGs, but nevertheless I'm a bit pissed of. Censorship IS illegal after all here.

Ukawelmaschopa

@trunkenmath:

im signing this. i hate the country i live in.

@MPgmr: Wow, didnt expect to see these sorts of arguments on kotaku....newfag!
jkzjkz

@Go Go Gadget: Thugmunk:
But want to know a funny thing? Germany knows draft, if the kid was a little Older they would have given him a gun and taught him how to use it ;).

Dehnus

@Go Go Gadget: Thugmunk:

The Nazis established the myth that you just need to ban something and can then control it. The Nazis banned other parties and it worked, they outlawed parts of the German society and it worked. To this day when people say "the Jews" they do not think of them as Germans. As if you stopped being German when worshiping the wrong god.

The Nazis might be gone, but their measures of controlling society are firmly in place. Their instruments to deal with opposition is the same. Just ban stuff, don't deal with it.

So one can still brand a person a Muslim in an effort to take away his German identity and rights. And if some part of youth culture makes no sense it is outlawed.

The Nazis are only gone as far as the direction of their ideology is concerned. Anything else they built is still going strong around the globe.

@Go Go Gadget: Thugmunk:

When I was in Germany on a student exchange, they were against any overly exploitive violence on tv and movies, especially on tv. Yet they would show sex and nudity on tv easily. I think it is just the differences in some parts of Europe versus the U.S. The U.S. shows almost every violent thing imaginable at times, but any thing about sex (which sex versus violence...you think violence would be worse) they're prudes and freak out.

Errr... isn't FarCry 2 by Ubisoft Montreal?

Grind_Axis

@dgkz0idberg: We have the CSU here... Got to love nothing being open on sundays and everything closing at retarded hours.

trunkenmath

@[lmgtfy.com]

I honestly though germans were done with fascism, guess I was wrong

optimusp

@Allcars:
wtf is 4chan

@Megaman LXIX:

Well sometimes they do effect society. It's reversed here and the fact is a depictions of sex is exponentially more likely to influence people than ones of violence... but if they're 18 there isnt a reason to give a legal damn for the most part. And we really dont for the most part, media hype and politics aside... aside from a local level anyways... which are sometimes, rarely legitimate worries in certain areas... though media rarely less of issue than wholesomeness in general.

SaanZ

@Gargus:

We already had the crash(ET thing) and came back(Nintendo popping up with their console).

There are people who love games and make them for people. Numerous, especially by small companies who don't have the big budgets like the bigger companies.

Its people who don't take the time to find such things who are missing out. You don't need to constantly buy sequels or listen to fanboy crap. Listen to the developers who you believe is the ones who care about making games and other standards you have. They are out there, you just have to find them.

Not to mention the many indy people who make games out there with no "business." When I see them able to make to break out and spread their games, its a wonderful thing for creativity.

We don't need another crash. We just need people to stop being sheep and just explore things out and see if you like.

Chikebo

ok, so to keep score, first they prohibit speaking out against the german negativity towards the holocaust and nazi germany, which is a crime punishable by jail time. now shooter games are getting pushed out of the picture? dear god, i think germany is re-entering the "s**tholeosphere" again. what's next: questioning the government made illegal?

William Putnam

@kevanio: Hahaha! Yes, let's ban any further development of Germans!

if it passed, that means any german devs would have to create non violent games right? so this would mean racing games, and maybe adventure psycho-thrillers type thing, were violence is implied, but never actually happens and its all meant to scare the living hell out of you/

it could be a good idea, but all in all, like sex, violence sells

@dirtface: dudes. you're on the INTERNET. look this stuff up. how hard is this?

wasn't this the one with the Dwarf Fortress title pic? "Abandon the Post, Get a Drink"?

...I feel for our German brothers and sisters... :(

celark

@dgkz0idberg: I'm Christian and I LOVE violent games. I also love sexually oriented games, or simply games where you can see the female characters' undergarments.

@MPgmr: "/B/"

Wut?

dirtface

So when are German gamers going to stand up against all those censoring bastards in their government?

Seriously, I used to think that them banning games was bad, but this is RIDICULOUS!

@MPgmr: rule 1 and 2

A friend of mine just told me that a tourney she was planning on going to got shut down by local politicians. Sucks =[

I'd read somewhere that they practically had an ammo cache stashed away at home. Videogames or no, if you live around guns to the point were you regard them the same way you do a kitchen utensil, you're not exactly going to think twice about pulling a gun on someone after being bullied at school.

@Gargus: Good games are still being made, you just need to look in the right places.

Pantsman

@dgkz0idberg:

Germans are nominal Christians. How on earth will Christianity affect their policies if they don't even practice it?

paulrenzo

@Ninja Tree:

Nah, the police will inspect the suspect's house and find illegaly downloaded games in them, concluding that videogames are the cause...again.

paulrenzo

"Don't mention the war."

AlucardsQuest

@Allcars: GEE, I JUST LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE HOW PEOPLE TALK AS IF /B/ IS THE ONLY THING THERE IS TO 4CHAN

Seriously, /b/, even though it's the biggest, is only ONE of 4chan's FORTY-TWO boards. Do the 4channers who aren't /b/tards (like me) a favor and don't go lumping us with the crud that is /b/.

The general rule of thumb: "if there's something coming out of 4chan, it's usually /b/"

/rant

MPgmr

@fELIXADER: Not at all. Not meaning to insult Germans in any way.

Just saying the "because a handful of maladjusted, partially psychotic gamers have gone nuts and killed people" argument to outlaw all violent video games is equally fallacious as saying you have to outlaw all Germans, because a few in history went even more nuts than the supposed gamers (they only killed in the dozens).

Meohfumado

@dgkz0idberg:

Use the resources right in front of your face and fucking google it.

And to think we live in the age of information...

ReconToaster.

@Dear_God: From one ignorant ass to another ignorant ass: we're not all like that, are we? ;)

TheOddOneDies

@Chibirazi:

Germany backed Austria, and encouraged them, and was responsible for the majority of the war's destruction.

ReconToaster.

Wait...Crytek's Far Cry 2?

No, that's Ubisoft's Far Cry 2, since Crytek was working on Crysis...wait till Germany sees Crysys 2! XP

HALO-32

And this folks, is the beauty of European Socialism.

Xarath

@gunluva is sailing these se7en seas: Government killed the video game star.

Interim

Gez Germany, while you're at it ban the following

Driving
Drinking
Fatty Foods
Canned foods
All Weapons
Forks
Pocket knives
Steak Knives
Any Glass objects--that includes windows!
Tall buildings
Any heavy objects
String like objects-Includes Piano wire
Oh right...pianos
Toys
Tiny parts that go to toys
Plastic bags
Cell phones (tumors!)
Money (people get killed over money too!)
The Sun (skin cancer and heat stroke)

I could go all day with this.

Oh, and don't forget to ban words too!

HALO-32

Die Revolution wird von dieser Baustelle auf ganz Deutschland ausgehen.Wir werden das verrottete System an seiner eigenen Scheiße zugrunde gehen lassen.SEID IHR BEREIT KAMERADEN EURE SCHEIßE DEM FUEHRER ZU OPFERN?Ich sage nur scheiße Scheiße SCHEIßE.Wir brauchen mehr scheiße...und Katzenstreu.KATZENSTREU MACHT HART WIE KRUPPSTAHL.AUF SCHEIßE UND KATZENSTREU BAUEN WIR UNSEREN NEUEN STAAT!

Fun movie quote aside,this is never going to pass.I lost my faith in the german government long ago(well never had much to begin with)but even they arent that incompetent.

Oh not this shit again.

Goddamnit! When will politicions and "concerned" citizens understand that violent video games do not create violent people. THe only thing that has been coorelated with violent games is that violent tendencies become more pronounced in people already prone to violence.

Mercsenary

@Dear_God: well next time vote FBI (Freie Buergerinitiative) instead of the clueless Voelkerparteien.

laencythe

@ca$h is now... The Day Man!: And the last time I (a German) checked, I wasn't alive in the 30's and 40's to have perpetuated this violence. I don't see how associating all Germans with the Nazi movement can be defensible.

@ca$h is now... The Day Man!: guess what, history is written by the winners. that's why no one seems to care about an entire people being robbed of their legitimate land and nearly exterminated. also, a certain austrian citizen that lived in the early 20th century in germany wouldn't have had the opportunity to set his anti-semitic, genocidal plans into action, had a certain country stuck to its business and not meddled in WWI.

doesn't change the fact that the OP's comment was quite unnecessary.

laencythe

@Meohfumado:
Brush up your historic-knowledge kid,WW1 was started by Austria not Germany,germany only accepted beeing the scapegoat in the end.

@nagash: You must have played plenty of violent games.

@dgkz0idberg: LURK MOAR

I agree, who cares about FPS anyway?
Violent games make the boys stupid, and we have enough stupid people already

So Germany, its video games that are the cause of everything bad in the world this time?

Forheiszombie

We may not have completely free speech over here, but it's at least nice to know that no one will ever be able to shutter a video game studio over content that a few people find objectionable. It should not even be a debate. It is your right to believe what you want, to feel how you will, and to express yourself as long as you're not hurting anyone else. The people who are offended by violence offend me, so can I ban them? No, I'm happy to live side-by-side with them and let them believe what they want, so why can't they give me the same courtesy.

@Manuel Melo Andrade: What impress me the most in all this debate is that you have a teenager with a gun and no one gives a shit, the cause is necessary a video game he played hours before the shooting.

If he used a car and crashed it to kill people, everybody would say that he was too young to drive, he was a danger for society. But if he is using a gun, who`s primary purpose is to kill something, no one cars, it is completely normal.

Way to go folks.

slimky

Pretty soon we are going to need laws to protect gamers rights.

Kirohitaku

um... I'm pretty sure Crytek had nothing to do with FC2 except for the name, it was developed and published by Ubisoft, no?

PixelPeZ

@dgkz0idberg:
What Ninja Tree said.

@Gargus:
Last time I checked the Klan hasn't systematically killed 6 million people and caused the largest war in the history of mankind. Sorry, but history's a bitch, especially to germany.

@meeto_0: You idiot, way to point out the obvious. EVERYTHING can be blamed on Hitler. He's fucking Hitler!

@Accordion: Something tells me most Germans never will, at least not in stores. From what I've seen of it, its gotta end up being one of those 'import-only' titles.

Crazy. Who would have thought 60 years after WWII that Germany would be the ones trying to ban all violence and Israel would be the ones caging people up? Talk about irony.

You know the Germans always make good laws!

cfive3

@gaztrain: Lets ban individual freedom and choice, because you know. some people choose things and it is potentially dangerous in obscure means to not only themselves but others.
I think we should all just live in padded rooms, isolated from the outside world. Its the only way.

Suddenly the US doesn't seem all that bad. At least Jack Thompson got disbarred and humiliated. This actually looks like it could pass. I feel bad for German gamers, thats some bullshit right there.

Gray665

@dgkz0idberg: Uh, no.

Stupid country

@Bouchart: Or rather they don't even effect overall society and people just try to paint them as bad because they're different.

@greenwald3132: Politic, my friend. That is all to it.

It's a hot topic in this country right now and politicians take it to their advantage. Since the citizens are ignorant and clueless fucks(well the majority, obviously) they(the politicians) get easy votes for it.

It's pathetic. And worst of all is that you cannot do SHIT ABOUT IT! FUUUUCK!!!

Dear_God

@meeto_0: As much as I hate conservatives, it definitely is NOT a partisan issue. Both sides try to get things banned.

Moral_Avenger

@dgkz0idberg: a that you are better off not knowing exists.

Wait till they see God of War 3…!

@gaztrain: Ban Death!

@Gargus: I promise i was not joking. Please take my comment more seriously than you did in your comment. I also promise that i think all germans are nazis. Please judge me completely based on the five words you have read. Also, continue to call people idiots while disregarding all punctuation and logic. I promise i was not being sarcastic.

Ghostradomus

@trunkenmath:

*high five* I like you, man. Really, I couldn't agree more with you.

Dear_God

if anyone brings up their special history as rationalization well..this oppressive over reaching government is exactly the road they shouldn't be going down in the first place. excessive controls on citizens ability to express themselves tends to result in the opposite of the intended result. the most porn free areas for instance are places like saudia arabia for example..where women are hardly treated with respect.

Justifan

@Bokusatsu_Tenshi: wtf is 4chan and krautchan?

@Lozmaster: I'm kidding, of course but if you would live in this goddamn country you'd understand my anger. Wait, no, you wouldn't because then you'd be just as much of an ignorant ass as everyone else here.

That's right, I don't like living here but unfortunately I cannot emigrate anytime soon, either. Again, it's because of their stupid laws.

Oh and I was born here. Just so you know.

Dear_God

@Lozmaster: Too bad the pols would just blame it on blogging about video games, and ban that too.

I hate to play the anarchist, but seriously, fuck the government(s).

Pols everywhere have become a bunch of pandering bitches. If a comet hit Washington and took out Congress while it was in session, so that emergency elections had to be held to replace all of them (hopefully said comet would take out just about all lobbyists as well), I wouldn't lose any sleep.

illiniphase4

@JAGJEET: exactly. its not just crytek thats at risk here, because they really arent that many people, but look at all the video game stores here, theyre gonna vanish -> more jobles people.

and adding to that, i and any other gamer here in germany is gonna be criminalized for doing what they love most.

@greenwald3132: thats because someone in our government tried it, got many voted, others follow...

asshole see, asshole do.

Stupid! They might as well ban violent movies! They are more influential than video games! I hate stupid people in government! Geez....!

Yay no more Crysis or games with cry in them.

enigma776

I don't usually have a strong "european feeling" but knowing that one of the most powerful countries in Europe is going down this path kind of ashames me as an european and, most importantly, makes me fear Germany might try to convince other countries to do the same.

I can't believe how this can be possible, i really can't what kind of politicians do they have there??

The only explanation i find plausible is the "fishing for votes" one that a German guy talked about but still... it's over the top and Germans should really fight this before it's too late.

A game doesn't need pink unicorns to be entertaining, who are they to judge what i find entertaining or not? It's art we're talking about and as far as i know they aren't thinking about banning "inappropriate" movies, "inappropriate" books, "inappropriate" paintings, "inappropriate" whatever.

Also, do they honestly believe violent games are the cause of violence? That makes sooooo much sense (not)! It is the parents role to educate their children, to teach them what's right and what's wrong and that's why the great great great majority of people don't go kill people just because they did on a videogame.

Decide yourselves, German politicians! Do you want the education of your children to be given by the state? Is that it? No? If not then why are you trying to decide on behalf of every citizen what's right and what's wrong?

This is not acceptable.

paperless

@trunkenmath: the reason for the backwardness of our political system is that the biggest party is called CDU - CHRISTIAN democratic union.

CHRISTIAN!

all nazis is tell you, all Nazis

@Neil Castle: that's what i was gonna say. fix maybe?

d3ath_fly

well Crytek could still stay and just make E rated games and think of ways to put the word Cry in the name.

@NeoStarr: if our politicians would actually ban video games where humans or human-like creatures are haarmed (92,8% of all video games) than germany would lose billions of taxpayers money. they just dont seem to realize that videogames are (financially) the biggest form of media here (and elsewhere)

What is it with Germany and banning things? It's as if it's going back 70 years.

@dgkz0idberg: on a side note, why just ban violent video games, why not EVERY movie and book and any other form of media where a human or a human-like creature is harmed?

those ex-nazi/stasi bigots piss me the hell of doing NOTHING for us germans but to infiltrate the voters with fear of video game players (read: killers)

@Dear_God:
There you go, proof that this system won't work, i fthe law gets passed, kill someone, that'll show them how wrong they are!

Lozmaster

@Dear_God: we germans gotta stick it to those cdu/csu bastards at europawahl ;)

@NeoStarr: Oh all rigth i see the actuall misstake in the article my bad.

@Allcars: There's nothing to blame here other than the ignorants who are voting for this piece of crap.

If the people we elect aren't even capable of defending freedom of speech, ANYTHING can be the trigger to stupid actions like this one.

Doesn't matter if it comes from 4chan, krautchan, a muslim terrorist website or the Care Bears official website... they should be thinking more about our rights, not what this or that website is showing, making or whatever.

This is kinda sad, but I guess we'll really have to get in another war against moralism and totalitarism just like we did several times in the history of humanity so people start valuing freedom of speech once again.

The only problem is that freedom will have to win once again. Because one of these days, it won't, and our future generations will tell stories of better times when "violent games" where allowed, along with some types of music, literature and movies... and thoughtcrime.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

@Allcars:
Down with personal accountability!
It's never the criminals fault! Never!
I say it goes both ways. From now on, we don't get credit when we do good things either. I mean, if an individual cannot be blamed for committing atrocities, why is it they are held accountable for good deeds as well?

@Go Go Gadget: Thugmunk: And I live in this goddamn country. FUUUU-

Suddenly I have the urge to kill someone.

Fuck the German government. Fuck their laws. God, fuck this country.....aaahh. This makes me so angry.

Dear_God

why ban games... its not the games that make people do this its the people themselves, lets just have less people in the world. More birthcontrol please. 2 child law for the would would be nice.

Germans should strike.

Rakotto

@gaztrain: Freedom is so overrated these days...

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

@Ninja Tree: better yet, ban cars...

uzivatel

@milford: Actually it's not only German, Switzerland is heading the down the same path.

TheOddOneDies

@Allcars: That was a fake post from Krautchan.

And most Europeans are PC gamers, so most play FPSes.

BubbleF**kingBuddy

Fascism. Plain and simple.

1. You can't run your business the way you want and...

2. The state wants to mandate morality.

Delano_J

@Go Go Gadget: Thugmunk: Rough? You've got no idea. Two fairly recent PS3 examples: No "Burn Zombie Burn" in the German PSN Store, and no RE5 space in the German Home. Seriously. In Germany Sony is way worse than, say, Nintendo.

And yes, this probably stems back to WW2, but in a different way than you might think. It's pretty "German" to blame it on an easy scapegoat.

JTF

@NeoStarr: I'm fine with a tilt toward sex, and don't agree with say, 9 year old's playing GTA, but it just goes overboard. Germany can't just go in excess one way (and this applies to most European countries from my experience anyways). In general a simple rating system for any games should be all thats needed to censor content, even its extreme in either way.
Thing I don't get is why does it seem that for whatever reason, be it cultural or political,that Germany is trying its hardest to ban violent video games.

greenwald3132

@Thilo Kernchen: It may have been a fake, but I sure got a kick out of seeing German politicians quote a Krautchan post on live TV, slang terms and all.

It sure raised the bar for future trolling attempts, though. Trolling high ranking government officials, the police and most of the German media with a single forum post is pretty hard to top.

milford

@fELIXADER: *ahem* "the shooter owned a shooter - Crytek's Far Cry 2"

The article contains a factual error. People are just trying to correct it.

Pantsman

@fELIXADER: Again: He's correcting the article's statement that the shooter played "Crytek's Far Cry 2" - which Crytek didn't develop.

Seriously, read the article.

danw13335

Old politicians are ruining the world anyway. In 20 years maybe hardcore video game players can finally run the government, the law, and have lawyers that are gamers themselves.

Solarman

@Paradox me uses sarcasm:

- the first "seems"

@phicaluk: But dildos are commonly mistaken for bombs at Airport security (Fight Club told me and I have no reason not to believe everything I read and see in the movies). I wonder if said S&M shop has taken precautions against this; perhaps avoiding the distribution of vibrating products.

Hmmmmm... come to think of it, Choke (another of Palahniuks books turned into a movie) also suggested that there are a number of people who have an insatiable urge to get caught masturbating in airplane restrooms. I wonder if this happens more often on flights coming out of Germany.

@Gargus:

Seems a few comments seem to be leaning that way, unfortunately.

Kinda sad how gamers want the medium to be taken seriously and stop being used as a scapegoat yet this sort of news leads some down the road of ignorance.

Fucking germans man, they ruin it for the rest of us.

cavalerie

@greenwald3132:Hey, perverts have to travel too.

@fELIXADER: They're merely correcting the article.

This is just stupid, but that never stopped german lawmakers before.

All I can say for the germans is, move to france. Ubisoft are waiting for you.

EdwinJ85

Personally Im for anything that hurts the gaming system. I want the whole fucking thing to crash and burn so it can be reborn from the start as something better than the bloated cashcow business and media whore it is now.

Just like comic books almost killed themselves in the 90s and came back better for it the same thing can work for games.

We need to get rid of gamings multi million dollar budgets, the media loving game developers who they think are rock stars and gods, the endless drones of sequel, after sequel, after seual, the endlessly stupid snobbery of system fanboys, the extremely over commercialism of it all and get back to making games by people who love games and make them for people who love playing them instead of running the whole thing like a business.

I live in Germany and this just sucks big time. Since there is no party which offers alternative concepts there's no real choice for the election. This sucks even more.

there just scared of them inspiring another hitler

Sorry about those grammar misstakes, the clean version:

As an 25 year old, grown up citizen and individualof my beloved, green and sometimes a bit rainy Germany, it just absolutely shocks me and something packs and chokes a part of my hearth when i think that my government wants to control, in absolute and oppresive way wich things i am allowed to see, read and play and wich not.

@fELIXADER: That's what I mean. Either they switch to non-violent games, which I just can't see CryTek doing (they've probably already got quite a few lined up), or they'll have to move their studio which could also be devastating to their funds and workforce.

@Go Go Gadget: Thugmunk: Our guilt over WW2 has caused a lot of things, but this isn't one of them. You have to differentiate between stuff like this (attempts by clueless politicians to pander to the sentiments of what they believe to be an equally clueless public) and the strict youth protection laws/classifications.

The former is a fairly recent phenomenon and mostly concerns politicians fishing for votes, which might very well backfire. Many of them can't get it into their heads that many gamers are not only old enough to vote, but also extremely active politically, mostly because of issues like this. I'm guessing that publicity stunts like this will become increasingly uncommon in the future, as old politicians retire and people who actually grew up with video games take their place.

milford

I have a request to all Kotaku Members. You can mock our politicians all day and as long as you want because your probably right about them.

But please refrain from the racism against the German people.

I'm well aware of the irony, but it isn't fun to read the majority of you guys anymore.

MeisterGlanz

@Allcars: TROLL, EBAUMSWORLD DID IT!!!

"Killerspiele" would make for an excellent name for a sequel to Killer7.

Bouchart

I never had thougth that i could once feel kinda discriminated cause of my choice of Hobby.

So far i have been accused of beeing an potential nutcase who could run amok, a criminal (cause i play shooters), have been threaded with possible one year in Jail for owning and playing such games and have been set equal to pedophiles, all by german politics.

As an 25 year old, grown up citizen and individual of my beloved, green and sometimes a bit rainy germany, it just absolutely shocks me and packs and chokes an inner part of my hearth when i think that my goernment wants to conrol in an absolutely oppresive way wich things i can see, read and play and what not.

@Ghostradomus:

You get the award for more ignorantly stupid comment of the month. I hope you colon smells good for your sake since you seem to have your head perpetually shoved up your ass.

You must only be 4 to say that. They have KKK in america so does that automatically mean the entire country is nothing but fucking klan members? Idiot.

Yeah thats right games kill people. Know what else killed people? Germans. Lots of people. We should ban development of germans. Or are we still denying it happened?

kevanio

@Manuel Melo Andrade:
You're right. It's a combination of mental instability, all forms of violent entertainment, and finally access to such weapons.

NewSpecies

@Thilo Kernchen: and it was faked.

Thilo Kernchen

@Allcars: Plus, it wasn't even 4chan, but Krautchan, the german equivalent.

Thilo Kernchen

@Meohfumado: 　Even though I know you're being sarcastic, I'm still fistpumping right now.

Well played, sir.

Thilo Kernchen

@MellowJade: I like to think that our various sins and perversions kinda balance one another out.

Bouchart

Purleeese, we all know that Crytek make murder simulators. Just like Bioware make Alien gang bang simulators.

Leftnt_Sharpe

@meeto_0: There is nothing politically conservative about a government banning something. A governmental ban is using power quite liberally.

dry-roasted-peanuts

It's springtime for Hitler and Germany...

@Sexytime Explosion: "Us Germans aren't all smiles and sunsshine, Mr. Burns."

"Oooh, the Germans are gonna get me! Smithers, save me, it's the Germans!"

Bouchart

@Ackers rhymes with Crackers: BAM!

buckeyes75

You know, I'd like a comparison between all the deaths in Germany caused by someone who played video games and by someone who painted instead.

Somehow, I think the painter related violence would win out by about 6 million or so...

dry-roasted-peanuts

@Bouchart: Or better yet, blame the killer.

Sorry, forgot to add that in.

Bouchart

@Allcars: As much as I would like to blame 4chan for all sort of societal ills, remember it is just a medium. Blame other people.

Bouchart

@Bouchart: nope, it'll be something else like violence on the internet or something.

beware. Those Germans aren't all smiles and sunshine.

@Meohfumado: Well.... What?

Are you saying we are still dangerous for the world?

Did i miss out on something?

I imagine this would be appealed to the EU courts if Germany does pass it. It's a big step to declare someone's livelihood illegal.

grahamwest

@NeoStarr: Again: The connection to Crytek in this article is that Cytek is located in Frankfurt Main, Germany. This will become a problem for them when the production of Actiongames will be banned, cause they produce in general EgoShooters

How about we ban something from germany that we import/export from/to them in response? I think that sounds fair.

"No video games For You!"

Oh, this will do wonders to help the economy /sarcasm

Azriel77

Lets say they ban violent games- production, distribution, ownership, etc.

The next time there is a school shooting or serial killing, they are going to reverse the ban because it didn't work, right?

Bouchart

@MellowJade: Damn spelling

society*

@Neil Castle: But Cytek is located in Frankfurt Main, Germany wich will become a problem for them when the production of Actiongames will be banned, cause they produce in general EgoShooters.

@Ninja Tree: i meant violent games not just games.

Games kill less then cars do. Ban Racing games!

@greenwald3132: No offense, but that comment sort of screams American media mentality. I think Germany is doin' it right when it comes to sex vs. violence issues. Sex is totally less harmful than violence; but censorship laws in most countries treat it the opposite way. That's why you see more guns on TV than boobs in western countries. Though you're right, they do take it a little bit overboard.

This is dumb. I mean America has violent video games,movies,porno, and other things.

And we're fine as a socity :D .

Don't forget that we have a big Election this Fall in Germany. They also tried to ban Paintball and Laserdome, but got so many complaints by players that they had to drop that.

MeisterGlanz

Glad to see Germany hasn't completely abandoned the totalitarian, freedom-hating ideals that made them great.

Burguois, Teabagger of Olde

Lol, something new for them to hide behind. Never mind that a new Nazi party (the NPD) is quickly rising to power while they pretend that it is not happening and focus on other shit, like this, making it all the easier to turn a blind eye.

Yeah, it's the games causing the problems, not the NPD's smashing Turkish doner shops and beating brown people on subways after soccer games.

I'm pretty sure 4chan had alot to do with this. I do remember a post by this killer the night before that said something like, I will make (forgot name sorry) look like a pussy, expect big news from Germany tomorrow. then there was a bunch of do it faggot and stuff. and then there was news from germany. So if there is anyone to blame i would have to say it would be 4chan.

I don't want to enter into a sensitive topic here, but these goddamn game nazis man...

Guys, everybody knows the Germans are a peaceful, non-violent people...who throughout their history have only been provoked to violence by vicious, blood-laden video games.

Its not like they tried to conquer Europe twice in one decade and tried to exterminate entire ethnic groups prior to the advent of video games....

Oh wait....if I used German logic, I could argue for the banning of all German people. You know...cause they did it before!

Meohfumado

@Manuel Melo Andrade:

Or even partial cause. They do not cause anyone to do anything. They might imitate but it doesn't say hey go act "god of war" on your neighbor does it? If parents taught their kids good values and we could stop fighting and bullying in schools during their younger years, then i guarantee depression and kids basically being alone wouldn't happen as often and truly lead to alot less or even no school shootings.

Oldboy26

@gunluva is sailing these se7en seas: i say have you ever seen the bottom of an avatars foot?

@meeto_0: Trollfail, dont make this a partisan issue. It is on both sides buddy.

Ghostradomus

How stupid. I am sure it will be push the economy down even further. Benz and Volkswagen are not enough to keep Germany the fourth largest economy in the world, look at the revenue games can gove to the country.

Germans has some backwards logic. First thing I saw when I got out the plane in Cologne was a S&M shop in the airport. umm, that can't be appropriate.

greenwald3132

I don't really know what to say anymore. It's so far beyond stupid, what do you do?

Everyone has seen gun violence in movies, television and games, it shouldn't be a valid excuse anymore. Rather than complaining about it, I really think something on a larger scale needs to be done.

No more "studies" from 50 different places a year, we need some sort of organization who's sole purpose is to educate the general public and these brain dead politicians about video games. I know the rating systems like the ESRB fit the description in some ways, but clearly something isn't working.

If these people want to try and dictate what is good or bad for society, I think it's about time they do their homework and give up this old, tiring stigma attached to violent video games.

"CryTek's" FarCry 2? Nah, FarCry 2 was mostly a Ubisoft endeavor (developed and published); FarCry 1 was CryTek.

Still; I love CryTek. They make some technically superior games that are fun to play and have incredible engines, but I'm not sure they have the imagination to move past violent games. I hope this law doesn't pass. I enjoyed their anarchist-like defiance of the German censorship laws.

Not this time Nazi boy!

Ghostradomus

This country is absolutely insane. For one of the top economies in the world and a leader in science and tech they are sooooooo backwards it isnt funny. Everything has to stick to its perfect system, nothing can be out of line. New things are to be feared and ignored in favor of older more german things.

Wanna know what the real Irony is? They spend all this effort "protecting the children" then give you less for a child than they do for you to buy a brand new car.

trunkenmath

Banning the sale of a product means limiting cash flow. Bad move for any institution in today's economy.

@gaztrain:

also drinking, ya know, drinking and driving kills too. but that wouldn't exactly pass in Germany. :p

@Neil Castle: Agree.

Ubisoft developed the game under a new Team!

Manuel Melo Andrade

Blame Hitler. Decades after he had the sensible idea of suicide and Germans are still paying for his insanity. Most Governments seem to want to ban or point fingers at video games to gain browny points with clueless middle aged conservatives. Tisk!

meeto_0

Crytek didn't develop Far Cry 2.

Neil Castle

Screw this...im so fed up with the whole "Killerspiele" issue!

I live in Portugal but have friends that live in Germany and they also are fed up with this!

Violent Games are not the total cause that your kids are going Kamikazi into schools and kill everybody. -.-

Manuel Melo Andrade

Ban driving too. Kills plenty of people.

Man, the German's have it rough when it comes to this. Why is this the case? It seems like they're being pushed to an extreme whereas their neighbors don't seem to give half a damn.

Does it really stem back to WWII? Or am I delusional? It may be a long shot, but I wonder why else they always come down so hard on these things.

The return of killer games and killer worlds, y'say?

wow that sucks badly the good part is that i live in america where something like this wont happen.

SILVERAMMO

@Xarath:

Yeah! American Capitalism is so much better...

KarmakazeNZ

@AlucardsQuest:

I didn't start it!

KarmakazeNZ

Can't really blame games for realism these days. Americans games push out violence day after day while Japan pushes out rape and rpg's whereas other countries pull out adventure games or the sort. Fact is since most kids these days are into games, you can always expect any psycho maniac guy/girl (but 98% guys) to pull out a crazy stunts such as these (since they've got mental issues or were picked on) to do school shootouts. Frankly, they should just stick to the bullies and leave the rest of the others who've done no harm to anyone else but mind there own business. Less bullies you have in school the better :D

Putting that aside, you can always expect them to brush up on their shooting skills either way with the most popular semi-real life games like CSS or COD4. Heck it could even be those crazy 13 yo teens causing the stray.

Morisato