Germany Bans EU CoD: Black Ops for PC

[John Funk]

Germany Bans EU CoD: Black Ops for PC

German PC gamers looking to import the non-censored Call of Duty: Black Ops from elsewhere in the EU may be out of luck.

Earlier this month, we learned that Call of Duty: Black Ops would be censored [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104008-Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-Censored-in-Germany] for its German release. I suggested that German gamers who really wanted to play the game as intended could simply import from one of the other countries in the EU.

Unfortunately, it seems like German gamers looking to pick up the uncensored PC version of the title are out of luck. According to PC Games.de [http://www.pcgames.de/Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-PC-231570/News/Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-Steam-Aktivierung-funktioniert-nur-mit-deutscher-Version-796131/], Steam will refuse to recognize and authenticate the installation of any version of Call of Duty: Black Ops except the localized (and censored) German one.

Given that a Steam authorization is required for every install of the game - even physical, boxed copies - this effectively means that German PC gamers must either settle for a censored experience, or work around the Steam requirement via less-legal methods.

German gamers looking to buy Black Ops on Xbox 360 or PS3, meanwhile, will likely face no such restrictions on importing the title. Sure, the game might not be in German, but that's the EU where everyone speaks like five languages, right? You'll be just fine.

Content removed from the German Black Ops includes: scenes of gratuitous violence and torture in the campaign, the ability for explosions to blow characters' limbs off, and - for whatever reason - the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" from the soundtrack.

(Via MCV UK [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/41542/EU-versions-of-Black-Ops-banned-in-Germany])

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[Adzma]

I feel for you guys. Australia and Germany: The two villainous countries of the games industry. Mind you it seems the United States is doing the best it can to get on that list too.

 

[MR T3D]

It's not like you won't be able to play mods with gore, though.
some crafty germans will work around this.

 

[Delusibeta]

Que pile of people blaming Valve for this decision, and pointing out that the title should read "Steam Bans Uncensored CoD:Blops Copies In Germany"

 

[Labyrinth]

Those Stones, perverting our youth! They should be banned everywhere, they've brought nothing but decay to the morality of nations!

 

[Nazz3]

Sucks for Germans.

The game sucks too though.

 

[Sky Captanio]

Well It's got less gore. It's still the same game though! Why does it matter if there's dismemberment or not? It's still the same game!

 

[Broken Orange]

God dang, these Germans are really being Nazis with their video game laws.

see what I did there? It is funny because saying someone is a Nazi means they are strict and that Germany in the early 20th centrury was ruled by the Nazi party. That, my students, is a pun.

 

[Whoracle]

As a german, let me just say: Don't buy it, don't pirate it. Ignore the shit out of this game, and let the Lobbyists do the rest once the german game market breaks away.

Edit: And don't forget: Vote the idiots that try to destroy the country right now out of office. There's too much going on right now, here and elsewhere, to remain passive.

 

[Mromson]

I'm sorry, but are you EFFIN' kidding me??? I think we should invade Germany again and beat the stupid out of them. Seriously.

Also, Valve, what the hell is wrong with you???

 

[Buizel91]

Sucks for Germans.

The game sucks too though.

Prove it... right now... go on.

OT: Feel sorry for you Germans =\

 

[Pingieking]

I'm liking the lack of sense-making in the world these days. The people in charge are doing a damn good job making piracy look like a great option.
Honestly, if I can pay $80 for legal versions of the pirated games, I would.

I'm sorry, but are you EFFIN' kidding me??? I think we should invade Germany again and beat the stupid out of them. Seriously.

Don't think that we (as in, the rest of the civilized nations) have any grounds to criticize Germany. I'm pretty sure that most countries have done stupider things than this in 2010.

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

Those Stones, perverting our youth! They should be banned everywhere, they've brought nothing but decay to the morality of nations!

I'm going to assume that you're being incredibly sarcastic with this.

Sympathy for the Devil, of all things?

FINE! We hereby rename the song "Sympathy for the Devin"! We can get it back

For those of you NOT stalking my profile, my name is Devin >.> bad joke, but worth it

 

[Delusibeta]

Sucks for Germans.

The game sucks too though.

Prove it... right now... go on.

OT: Feel sorry for you Germans =\

It's published by Activision, ergo it sucks. Especially if you don't want to give Bobby Kotick any money.

 

[Random Argument Man]

Bad Joke*Come on Germany! You used to be co...uhmm...right...


That would've been offensive.. I'm sorry for those german gamers. You'll have to get...a version from another country...

 

[Anah'ya]

Ouch...

Used to be I'd mock you lot (being Austrian and all), and tell you to dip down to your more sophisticated brothers and sisters and pick up a copy there... but.... ouch. Really. Ouch.

Now don't go blaming Valve though. I'm quite sure they had little say in that matter: Admit to it, or not get the deal. And with a game that big you can hardly blame them for looking after their own.

...

Still.

Damn.

*sighs, shrugs and walks off*

 

[varjoankka]

But I only speak four languages