EA Germany Exec Accuses Gov’t Of Game Censorship

Wracked by a mass shooting partially blamed on games, the government considering a ban on “killerspiele” and developer Crytek threatening to leave, Germany’s firsthand experience in the violent games debate is like no other country’s right now.

Electronic Arts’ top man in Germany, Gerhard Florin (pictured) says enough is enough. In an interview last week with Spiegel, Florin called Germany’s USK rating system “censorship” and called on the country to use the PEGI ratings, used across the rest of Europe.

What we’re doing here [with USK rating] is censorship. And no one complains. When we talk about games here it’s about violence or their alleged addictiveness, and not about their cultural status. The few good studios are asking themselves why they should stay here anyway.

The boss of the USK noted that the government’s (gotta love this title) Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons often is what’s stepping in against violent games before they get to the ratings board.

“It’s hard when half-truths are being used,” said USK’s Marek Brunner. “They say the USK does this wrong, the USK does that bad and why doesn’t this get a rating?”

EA: German Ratings are ‘Censorship’ [GamesIndustry.biz via Game Politics]