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Why do germans ban all the games? Let me explain.
3r0t1c n3rd 3:35 PM on 08.20.2007 25 comments




I wanted to do this writeup for some time, but didn’t had the time/was to lazy to do it. Until the question came up in a game of Rainbow Six.: Veagas, about the banning of The Darkness in Germany.

„Why are the germans so crazy about violence in videogames?“

So I’m going to try to explain the whole thing, and how the rating system works in germany, in this article.

Well the first thing everyone in the englich speaking world thinks is, we are rigorous about violence because we lost the war. Well there is actually a bit more to that. It’s like the problem americans have with boobs and cursing.

To be honest, I don’t exactly know why we (as a country) are so pissed about violence, but I can list a number of reasons that support our angst about it. (But yes, we are probably very sensitive about violence, because of the whole holocaust thing.)

First of all, we have the media jumping on the whole „the games made him do it“ thing, whenever a kid shoots up a school or whatnot. It’s basically the same in every country that the media loves to do this, but over here, they do it in a very bad manner. I mean really bad. I can’t remember how many times they blamed Counter Strike. It’s the ultimate reason that causes violence in kids, according to the mass media.

„One reason, Counter Strike. You get more points if you kill innocent bystanders. Schoolgirls are worth the most.“

The politics are a bigger problem than the games at there own. You see, we have social issues in germany. Pretty, bad issues. And instead of addressing these issues, they use videogames as a scapegoat. Instead of taking care of our rotten school system, which produces stealing, good
for nothing thugs, who have no expectations in life, or instead of finding a solution for the haywire healtcare system, they blame videogames for everything



Every survey about the subject is used to circumstantiate the „fact“ that violence in games is made by the devil and that it’s the reason for our rotten youth. This has gone so far that some politicians want that the production of violent videogames is going to be illigal in germany. And of course, not one of them ever played one single video game in their lives.

Also, one of the first things that were accomplished after the last killing spree, was that a new term for violent video games was formulated. We had the word murder-simulation-games before, but that was just to fucking long to understand for you average joe. So a better, shorter one was devised: killer games. It’s a good word, because nowhere is written down what the exact meaning is, or what exactly qualifies a game as a killer game.
Like is Rainbow Six: Vegas a killer game? Well you have the killing, but you do it as a special forces guy. So you kill in the name of good. So you are not a killer, you are a hero! But it’s still considered a killer game over here... Or what about the good old Cowboy and Indians games we all played as kids? Aren’t those about killing people too?

Okay, enough of that for now, let me explain the system that is used to rate games over here. But be warned, it’s a rather complex matter.

We basically have two organisations who grade games, the USK (Unterhaltungsoftware Selbstkontrolle = German Voluntary Monitoring Organisation of Entertainment Software) and the BPjM ( Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien = Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons). So the one is a corporate organisation, the other one is federal. One of the problems in that system is that the jurisdictions are not 100% clear. In case of games, the fist rating of any of the two organisation counts. The other one can’t revise the rating, whether it’s in favor of the titel or against it doesn’t matter.

The USK was foundet in 1994 and has since gradet more then 17.600 games. Before the law for he protection of the youth was changed in 2003, their ratings where only references. But since 2003 they are binding. The consultants who rate the games got to have experiences e. g. as Journalists, pedagogues or socialscientists and have to be intependent and not employed by the games industry.


They have 5 different ratings:



(from left to right)

- without age restrictions
- restricted for those below the age of 6
- restricted for those below the age of 12
- restricted for those below the age of 16
- restricted for those below the age of 18

Besides from that, the USK can deny a rating, like if the game is too violent or glorifies war, in which case a banning by the BPjM is likely. The USK themselves can’t ban a game. Any game that’s not rated gets handeled like a „ restricted for those below the age of 18“ title.

So, as you can see, it’s more simple then the american rating system, but you don’t get as much information.



The BPjM rates games too, but only after someone filed a complaint about a game. They have the right to ban games, as they rate all kind of media (music, books, movies, magazines, comics and games). The reasons for banning media can range from violence to illegal content. For example, every book about producing drugs or growing weed is illegal in germany.

So what if a game is banned? Well the game goes on the Index, which is basically a list of media which is banned. Media on the index is not allowed for sale to persons below the age of 18. Also any advertising, in media that is accessible to persons below the age of 18 for it is illegal. Same goes for import and export, for persons under the age of 18. And it’s legal to sell them under the counter in stores, but (you guessed it) only to persons over the age of 18.

Well, basically if you are underaged and want a banned game, it’s not a big deal to get them. Just ask a older friend to import them for you. This leads to a problem with the BPjM, which is that their actions are not really effective. Because anyone can import games from other countries in the EU, since the customs only check packages from outside the EU. Plus, something that is banned gets more interresting. Which leads to some (stupid) kids who consider the Index as a shopping list for games.

So, how can a game get banned, you ask?. Simple, the USK denies the game a rating, which in most cases causes the publisher not to release it. But someone bitches about it, so it gets rated by the BPjM, which usually leads to a ban.

But banning isn’t the worst thin that can happen to a game. If putting a game on the Index isn’t enough, the police can confiscate it, which makes it illegal alltogether. Which usually happes to games with nazi thematics, that are extremely xenophobic, or very, very, very violent. Manhunt I’m looking at you.


Initally I wanted to list all games that are on the Index, but instead I will list some recent ones and the reason why they were banned.

- Crackdown; unecessary violence against innocent
- Gears of War; too much graphical violence, chainsaw
- Command & Conquer: Generals (US-version); suicide attackers
- Dead Rising; too much graphical violence, chainsaw
- Condemmed; too much graphical violence
- Far Cry (US-version) Rag Doll physics
- F.E.A.R. (US-version); too much graphical violence

The games that had their US-version banned, got edited, to make more money release them here, like changing the blood to a different colour. That’s what happened with The Darkness. They edited all the blood and the heart eating thing out of the game. The animations are still the same, but all the blood is gone. So if you can live without the blood it’s okay.
And there are countless other examples fort his censorchip. Like the fact that in Command & Conquer 1 the dialogue and animation was changed, so that the soldiers where cyborgs. The 4 minute long scene in Quake 4 where you get changed into a Stoog got cut down to 1 minute. Pedestrians don’t drop money in GTA. Counteless other games had the bloodcolour changed or the blood removed alrogether, like in Bioshock, or Tomb Raider. I chould go on with this for hours...

To bring this article to an end, I’m gonna give you a „what to do if you want your game to be banned in germany“ checklist. So here we go:
First of all put in a lot of unnecessary violence in it (Crackdown). A lot of innocent bystanders are always good (Crackdown again). Individual hitzones are also good (Soldier of Fortune). Oh and chainsaws, chansaws are a shurefire way to get a game banned in germany (Gears of War). And how chould I forget swastikas. One Is enough, but feel free to put in more (Wolfenstein 3D). Or any other Nazi reference.

Got that? K, have fun with it.

I hope this article helped you to understand the situation over here. And stop bitching, that they banned one game. You are lucky!

There are 24 comments about this post:
3r0t1c n3rd's Destructoid Blog
BTW, if you find any typos you can keep them.
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain's Destructoid Blog
FAR CRY: BANNED FOR RAGDOLL PHYSICS™
3r0t1c n3rd's Destructoid Blog
Jupp, they had to change it so that dead bodies no longer have ragdoll physics. DON'T ask why, they just did it.
Gemsi's Destructoid Blog
Wow I knew you guys had it pretty bad, but god damn that's just well nasty.
dgenerate's Destructoid Blog
I agree, you seem to have it way worse than we do in America (well I'm from Canada, actually). But bitching, that they banned one game doesn't sound like a great idea to me. We need to organize, and rise up! Of course, we'll all be too busy abusing drugs and alcohol, playing video games and sleeping for that to happen :(
Kotua's Destructoid Blog
That sucks for you germans.
Wait...they CHANGED BIOSHOCK?!
3r0t1c n3rd's Destructoid Blog
No blood in Bioshock for us :(
BlindsideDork's Destructoid Blog
erotic nerd? Is that even possible?
fearian's Destructoid Blog
I thought australian was tight arsed!

you guys have a very different social situation than other countries like the UK or US might have, but you still seem to have a tighter control on media than in say, france, which suffered rioting not so long ago.

hopefully things can improve, but its alwayus the case that people who play games, are not people in political power.
ArrestedDeveloper's Destructoid Blog
You forgot

Halo 3; Not enough Hasselhoff
Alanar's Destructoid Blog
Nice explanation.

(Sadly,) I got used to this take-the-blood-out-and-make-it-less-violent thing. Well, as if I had the choice...
But I hope that there will be not so much problems with "No More Heroes" here in Germany.
3r0t1c n3rd's Destructoid Blog
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! sorry, aber glaubst du wirklich das die No More Heroes unbeschadet durchkommen lassen?
Alanar's Destructoid Blog
Nicht wirklich, aber "Killer7" hat es auch geschafft. So ein klein wenig Hoffnung habe ich schon. Ansonsten hätte ich bereits eine Idee, wie man die Sterbeanimation (die bisher in den Trailern zu sehen war) passend auswechseln könnte.
3r0t1c n3rd's Destructoid Blog
Naja, Killer7 war ja auch ein drogentrip... Okay, now back to english
Professor Pew's Destructoid Blog
Nice stuff! Always wondered why exactly our next-door neighbours were so picky about this stuff. I just grew up with "those crazy germans only have green blood" and never cared to think about it afterwards.

Also because I must: Schade Deutschland alles ist vorbei, alles ist vorbei, alles ist vorbei! And Füller is an asshole, stop overcrowding our beaches etc etc :)
3r0t1c n3rd's Destructoid Blog
You from Spain? Sorry about all the assholes and idiots who come to your country, I whould do something about that if I chould.
Professor Pew's Destructoid Blog
Nope, Holland. So we also have that crazy football (not soccer) rivalry thing going on. I don't really care that much though, only for a week or so once every 2 years.
Then again, your anti-Niederländer songs crack me up so it's all good!
3r0t1c n3rd's Destructoid Blog
Sorry, I'm not up to date about who my countrymen hate or make fun at the moment ^^
ZigZagMan's Destructoid Blog
Nice write-up man, I was always curious. People always explained it to me as "Crazy germans and their green blood, Two world wars, and one world cup, ra ra ra"

Its true though, us in the UK are griping about Manhunt being banned, but from seeing the censorship in places like New Zealand and Germany, I think myself lucky.
Mxyzptlk's Destructoid Blog
Facinating stuff, I enjoyed it. Glad you guys at least have the option to import those type of games.
savagesaladin's Destructoid Blog
Germany is against graphic violence? Uhhhh....
Cruds's Destructoid Blog
Kinda sucks and all but I really wonder how effective those bans are with the open borders we have these days. Thanks for the info anyway, I will think twice now before buying a game from a German on Ebay.

msa's Destructoid Blog
@ cruds:
well, its not effective at all.

we can get all the games that are banned or cut in germany from austria. uncut. and as austrians speak german, a lot of games are even translated in german.
Jim's Destructoid Blog
Why our neighbours in Germany are so restrictive about violence in games or other media (Hey, they don't ban movies, at least not the ones from the US!) always felt strange to me.

I doubt very much that it's related to anything with "losing the war" or the progroms because for example in Austria they share a lot of these horrible things in the past and all games are uncut.

Plain and simple it's that the German government (or at least some people in it) believe that they can decide what is good for you and what not. You might call it censorship, if you like.

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