Crytek Threatens to Leave Germany Again

[John Funk]

Crytek Threatens to Leave Germany Again

If the German government continues to seek a ban on violent games, Crysis developer Crytek will take its ball and go home, says CEO Cevat Yerli.

paintball [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90185-Surprise-Surprise-Germany-Shooting-Linked-To-Games], it soon turned its sights on a more familiar target, seeking a wholesale ban on violent games.

Naturally, Frankfurt-based Crytek - makers of violent (and leafy) FPS games Crysis and Far Cry - wasn't happy [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/76230-Crytek-Threatens-to-Leave-Germany], with CEO Cevat Yerli bluntly stating that their contingency plan would be to leave Germany outright. The company has branch offices in England, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, any of which could become its new headquarters.

In a recent interview with PCGames.de [http://www.pcgames.de/aid,691719/Killerspiel-Diskussion-Crysis-Schoepfer-Cevat-Yerli-droht-mit-Abwanderung-aus-Deutschland/PC/News/?page=2], Yerli reiterated the claim. "A ban on action games in Germany is concerning us because it is essentially like banning the German artists that create them," said Yerli.

[blockquote]"If the German creative community can't effectively participate in one of the most important cultural mediums of our future, we will be forced to relocate to other countries ... The current political discussion will deprive German talent of its place on the global game development stage, and deprive German consumers of entertainment that is considered safe and fun around the world."[/blockquote]

All may not be lost for our proud German readers, though - the government's efforts to ban videogames may have been derailed by a petition [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93471-German-Videogame-Ban-Derailed-by-Internet-Petition] with over 50,000 signatures.

(Via Edge Online [http://www.edge-online.com/news/crytek-threatens-to-leave-germany])

Permalink

 

[Merteg]

If I were Crytek I would leave too.

It's sad that Germany would be so extreme to bad violent video games. Though, what's considered a "violent video game?"

 

[Aac18]

I'm glad to see that at least one gaming company is going to stand up to the insane laws Germany is trying to pass. With some luck it will make them reconsider their decision to pass the law.

 

[dochmbi]

I hope the law gets passed cause it would be funny to read about it on forums and stuff, plus piracy would go through the roof which would also be good.

 

[Proteus214]

So when are violent video games going to stop becoming the scapegoat in situations such as this? Games don't breed violence, troubled people do.

 

[wildpeaks]

I hope they leave as that would be a strong signal, german players need to start protesting against those insane laws.

 

[Bassman_2]

Alright! Gamer Creator Powah! WOOT WOOT WOOT Woot woot woot woot..... ahem....
Good job Crytek.

 

[TheCameraman]

What is considered a "violent" video game? Is Plants vs Zombies a violent video game?

 

[paketep]

If I were German, I'd be glad to be rid of Cevat Yerli.

Not of Crytek, though.

 

[sgtshock]

It's one thing to be forced to move because of a job, but moving to an entirely different country, because your government despises what you do? Ouch. I hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[dnadns]

If I were German, I'd be glad to be rid of Cevat Yerli.

Not of Crytek, though.

I'm not so much worried about single companies or their individual representatives.
It's just bad for the whole gaming industry and the craft itself.

Makes you especially angry if you see that this is one of the topics abused for the upcoming elections.

 

[Thurmer]

I hope the law gets passed cause it would be funny to read about it on forums and stuff, plus piracy would go through the roof which would also be good.

haha thats actually a really good point, I mean on one hand no more german made games but on the other we'd probs get a new german pirate bay

also kinda more on topic good to see the govt choosing to target video games instead of maybe i don't know the childs home life zzzz

 

[The_ModeRazor]

If I were Crytek, I'd leave for Hungary. Because then we'd finally have a reknowned games studio.

 

[ActionDan]

It's not the screen it comes out of, it's the mind it goes into.

 

[KDR_11k]

Yep, "again". They do that EVERY SINGLE TIME the topic comes up.

 

[Capo Taco]

So when are violent video games going to stop becoming the scapegoat in situations such as this?

That will stop the day that we start blaming the telematrix hive for the kindergarten laser shootouts, in about 20-40 years time.

 

[Kollega]

If they really are going to leave Germany,then well... good for them,bad for gonverment.

 

[Terrorist_school_drop-out]

If the german government choose to start censorining or straight-out banning violent games(let's face it that means most of'em), it will only cause trouble for them in the long run. Why? Well, people won't just stop playing games in Germany because the well-fed, expensive suit wearing politician told them so, and so they'll do what the whole industry, fears most, start pirating. "I can't buy'em, I can't download them legally, well that's not fair, so let's stick it to the man." Especially considering that Germany is a very PC game centric country, it'll all turn out being worse for everyone...exept bittorrent.

 

[SilentHunter7]

Hey, come to America, we could certainly use the jobs.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

Yep, "again". They do that EVERY SINGLE TIME the topic comes up.

yeah cause having jobs leave a country over laws is always a great deterrent for them to not pass a law, so keeping up the threat is a good thing