Yep, Germany's at it again! Despite being approved for release in the oppressive Nanny-state, it seems that the German version of Wolfenstein has now been recalled, with Activision pulling the Raven-developed game from store shelves.
No reason has been given for the recall, but it's strongly believed that the use of Swastikas and related National Socialist imagery is the cause of the fuss. Because of course, it's much better for Germany to essentially deny the Holocaust than sell a videogame with a few Swastikas in it. Maybe hiding Nazi iconography will make people forget that the German government has been acting like the Third Reich more and more lately.
Germany jumped the shark with its videogame banning years ago. This nonsense really needs to end.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
56 comments | showing # 1 to 50
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
4:20 PM on 09.22.2009
| 
Col. Landa is displeased.
(Yea German classes 10 years ago)
These dumb fucks should know that denial of stuff like this only makes it worse.
Films are considered art. Videogames not. So swastikas in Indiana Jones are perfectly okay, swastikas in Wolfenstein not.
That's essentially the point.
It's not a problem of denying the holocaust (in fact, students get noodled to death with WW2 and the nazi regime in school, and you can get your ass arrested if you deny the holocaust *g*) but of the public recognition of videogames.
Still bullshit, of course.
But kudos for totally uncalled hate against Germany there.
Although, I'm inclined to give Germany the benefit of a doubt and think that maybe hey just know what a douche Bobby Kotic is and are boycotting Activision games (yeah, not bloody likely).
Word, because I totally hate the German people and not the German authority, between which there is a clear difference.
In one point he is right though. If you're going to deny the holocaust, you better don't do that in germany. The reasons for the pulling are slightly different. Extremely stupid reasons, yes. But not denial.
Yeah man, saying anything negative about Germany on a video game blog is totally uncalled for.
It's not like it's the country on the forefront of the whole "VIDEO GAMES ARE EVIL" thing or anything like that.
LEARN TO INTERPRET BRITISH SARCASM. Even if it's slightly true.
http://www.schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=5982811
It has been cut in everyway possible. They just oversaw this one single tiny little sign...
I hate my homeland -_- Look at the pictures, that's how ALL our games are!
the ban of the game is not an act of denial. Read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strafgesetzbuch_%C2%A7_86a The denazification was an Allied idea. There are various laws in germany and austria that prohibit use of swastikas and other Nazi symbols. By the way the Deutsche Kulturrat (the umbrella organization for all german cultural alliances like those for literature, film and architecture) demands freedom of art for videogames and included the GAME (alliance of game developers) into their ranks. But because the Deutsche Kulturrat isn't a political institution it has little to no weight in legislation. The Deutsche Kulturrat has puplished a ton of articles that declare that games are in fact art: http://www.kulturrat.de/text.php?rubrik=72 They also invited politicians to play games. At least they try.
Seems like they forgot to remove all content asociated with Nazis which is illegal in Germany outside of documentaries, art and other educational purposes. Since videogames legally aren't considered art it makes sense they pulled it from the shelves to prevent legal mesures.
Not that I personally agree with all of it (the legal situation) - it's totally understandable for Activision to do this.
Was one of those thing seriously "removing boobs". That's insane. Germany is fucking insane. Get over it!
You know what would make the Swastika LESS powerful? NOT having it completely forbidden. Seriously, it's not fucking rocket science. Germany only helps the neo-Nazis remain inspired and feel special by rendering sacred their most iconic symbol. It's ridiculous.
Banning certain words and images only make the bigots stronger and gives them a tool with which to offend.
nothing more. only SWASTIKAS and pics of gay adolf
Ironically German-Americans are some of the baddest asses I know. They're feeding you guys something over there.
Gore, Ragdoll effects (they are not allowed in german games) and everything which has to do with nazis, but as posted before: Only 1 little symbol is still in the game:
And that's why it is banned now.
I agree with that. But that's about the look of things. If it wouldn't be banned neo-nazis would flood the streets with Swastikas. The world public would tear Germany apart.
They did not remove boobs, just the symbols on the women.
Sex is totally fine in Germany. You can see blank tits in TV 24/7. Children watch cartoons, switch the channel at 1 pm and they see blank boobs or a penis or whatever. That's totally fine. But when you see a little blood or something which has to do with nazis, BANNED!
The holocaust happend before almost everyone here on Destructoid was even born, so it's only naturally if you're German and offend by someone associating you with one of the biggest crimes in the last hundred years when some stories like this come up.
There's more to Germany than just WW II, you know?
I agree with that. But that's about the look of things. If it wouldn't be banned neo-nazis would flood the streets with Swastikas. The world public would tear Germany apart.
Yet the local sensibilities towards this kind of imagery have nothing to do with denial. Quite the contrary, actually. Like Qouth said, swastikas are perfectly legal in any educational or artistic context, but pretty much considered glorification anywhere else. Although in the careless fictional environment of a game like Wolfenstein, I guess they would simply be dismissed as crude flippancy. It's really more of an overcautious sense of duty, and merely another symptom for our government's antiquated and largely ignorant approach to videogames.
Obviously he puts it in an exaggerated way to make a stronger point, but he's still right.
This is bullshit...it's censorship...and it's fascist.
How else can you see it?
"...the German government has been acting like the Third Reich more and more lately. "
Makes me wonder if you read my Reich-wing thinking line a few days ago when you posted about the German school principal.
Oh, cruel DENIAL, what hast thou wrought??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYk2VKo_V2k
I know! I fucking love Germany and I'm a black Jew! Easily not on their good list. I just hate when they get so sensitive and then turn around and use it as an oppurtunity to criticize.
My best friend is German and he has family who served under Hitler but I really don't give a fuck because Germany is amazing. Still not a cool as Russia but ya know, it's up there.
Yeah I get it, censorship is wrong, but games aren't revered as art by the masses as of yet and therefore aren't given the same freedoms that films and books enjoy. As such I really can't blame Activision for making changes to allow them to sell their game in a country or preemptively pulling the game to make corrections to avoid a shitstorm.
I'll be the first to agree that Germany's censors are a little too strict on this stuff, but you can sort of begin to rationalise their (over)reaction: put simply, they don't want history to repeat itself. You, on the other hand, seem to think it's because they want to DENY their history. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I mean, you seriously think Germany as a nation indulges in Holocaust denial? I hope you're being tongue-in-cheek. Maybe you are, and I missed the joke. But if not, get a clue, you prat. Throughout all German schools, pupils are educated extensively about the Holocaust. The German government regularly stages memorial services for those killed in the Holocaust (most recently in Buchenwald), while denying the Holocaust is illegal in Germany.
"The German government has been acting like the Third Reich more and more lately."
Jesus Christ, the stupidity just hurts. But keep it up, Jimmy. You'll eventually get that Daily Mail column you crave. Right next to Littlejohn.