Germany hates videogames, is the message the German government seems to want to communicate. Every sensational crime committed in the country gets pinned on "killer games," and a ridiculous amount of titles have been banned or censored thanks to the over-sensitive megalomaniacs in charge. With this in mind, Sega has simply decided it can't be bothered to deal with all that crap.
Aliens vs. Predator won't be released in Germany, because Sega thinks the game is too violent and doesn't want to even try and get it past the censors. The cost of localizing and censoring the game is more than Sega is willing to invest, and really, who can blame them? Germany makes unreasonable demands on the games that try to release there, and it was only a matter of time before publishers felt it wasn't worth the money and effort.
Despite Aliens vs. Predator looking really bloody terrific, Germans are going to have to sit this one out (or import!). I'm actually glad it's happened -- not because I want Germans to suffer, but because I want the German authorities to wonder why their economy has a big, videogame-shaped hole in it. Maybe if the government's wallet starts to get hit, videogames will get a better deal in future.
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.
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Contest:
10:40 AM on 11.11.2009
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But AvP?
Are they worried some kids will mistake their classmates for Xenomorphs and whip out their wrist blades?
Seriously Germany WTF.
But what's the cost of German gamers pirating your game when you're not expecting to sell them any?
If anything they might sell a few extra copies than expected in neighbouring countries from people importing it.
@Sexualchocolate Yes we get WW2 themed games...but there are no Swastikas in there.
I think this is ridicolous because all the AvP movies came out in germany...I believe there would have been some kind of way to bring it out in germany...
I love you eBAY!
@SexualChoclate
yes we get WWII themed games, but only edited,without any swastikas and blood.
The UK / US Versions of CoD, Medal of Honor and WOLFENSTEIN /RETURN TO CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN and WOLFENSTEIN 3D are confiscated. Yes even Commandos or RTS titles are edited and have no swastikas.
Ill never understand our fucking gov.
Games like CoD show us to not forget what happend, and our gov dont get it.
They allow political parties like NPD (Nationalistic Party Germany, which hates
jews,foreigners,blacks and so on), but not swastikas or fucking blood.
Yes, the sadest story was about Quake 4.
The Devs had to re-edit the whole game....the whole source code was different, only in Germany. We could not play with Americans or Brits, because Q4 was different. Wtf....really, wtf.
So, i always order old used games from ebay.co.uk or new releases like Mass Effect 2 UNCUT via a friend who owns a big video games store.
Thats what normal, impassioned gamer here in Germany do.
I've got to admit, I laughed at that. I really shouldn't have though.
Does the "turn all blood green" trick from the 90's not work anymore... actually most of the blood is green so I guess not.
I hope developers don't have to resort to turning all of their characters into robots again just so they can bypass all the bullshit censoring laws.
Oh such delicious irony i must CONSUME IT! OM NOM NOM NOM
Believe it or not, sometimes commerce is not the highest aspiration of a free people.
While I may disagree arguments made, or conclusions held by people seeking to ban cartoon gore / ie. 'sadist pornography' in video games - I do not go so far as question their right and freedom to do so.
It's worth noting, Sega (a company) has decided to "self sensor" (not release at all) rather than meet the community standard of the German people. You might be inclined to see this as some irrelevant technicality. It really isn't.
Where is the outrage at Sega?
Corporations are tyrannies - entirely anti-democratic, day in day out 24/7.
Corporations can censor anything. Actually it is legal for companies to lie, in the news- all day long - every day. In the United States there are several Supreme Court cases affirming this.
Any outrage? Anyone concerned about Corporate censorship? It's how we get wars, where real people die.
Our real, home grown fascists have got to get some perverse sense of accomplishment at people living under a corporate directed government whining about how not having access to any video game "is" censorship/fascism/stupidity.
If anyone would like a refresher on what fascism "is". In short - it's corporate directed government. Corporate campaign donations, Corporate lobbyists in Govt. jobs, Etc...
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7260.htm
No.
I realised this after i spell checked his name shortly after posting.
No wonder i failed graphic design *sighs*
Nevertheless: Cencored games in Germany always means that austrian gameshops will do more business! At least something that EU thingy is good for :-D Austria rulez!
Oh, and the US-posters shouldn't get their giddy up because of that. After all the same goes for titties over in the states for whatever that's any good. I worked at a game dev company and after the "hot-coffee"-scandal we had to check loads of textures to make sure no friggin nipple was on them... What's the worst that could happen? A guy polishing his little soldier's helmet to five red pixels of Lara Crofts boobs? Gimme a break!
Nothing of any of that has or will affect informed German gamers though, the only thing the government hurts with this bullshit is the economy.
Ridiculous thing is: On top of that, by importing from UK, you usually get them significantly cheaper (yes, shipping included).
That, and there is no decent video game store in this town. But three Gamestops. THREE. -> Being german, Amazon.co.uk is your best friend.
No. Your wrong.
Na-ah, you are!
Before the Sega press release was morphed into jimbo dumb-dumb talk it was actually reported with some detail as to why. Which was then turned into an imbedded link, "Sega has simply decided it can't be bothered to deal with all that crap."
The Admin pcghx_Kristoffer over at the linked original report-
http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,699126/Aliens-vs-Predator-Too-gory-for-Germany/News/
"According to the press release we received from Sega Europe Ltd., Sega decided not to release Aliens vs. Predator in Germany because in its original form the game is unlikely to get a rating by the USK. Sega Europe Ltd. also decided that Aliens vs. Predator will not be modified for the German market because this would affect the gameplay experience. In the press release it was also emphasized that Sega does not offer games without an USK certification in Germany.
Although this development is bad, it has been Sega who decided do take this step. Of course we don't think this is good, but you have to respect Sega's decision. It is also something different if a publisher decides not to submit to local conditions than a minister calling for a ban of all action games.
Still the question arises if other publishers will follow Sega and not release their games on the German market because they fear the consequences of a high rating or the denial of the rating."
Well i dont care since videogaming is overly expensive in Germany im importing from the UK anyway.