German Gamers Get Heavily Censored Bulletstorm

[Feralbreed]

Germany? Heavily censored?!

Yeah, sorry about the whole holocaust thing.. but it's been over 60 years.

 

[Bird Evil]

Maybe they will just have "Duty Calls" installed on the bullet storm disk in Germany, thats pretty how the game will play without physics and gore and stuff anyway

 

[vivster]

Censoring games clearly labeled to be only accessible for adults over the age of 18 anyway.
Tax money well spent.

This. If it's an 18+ game then why the hell does it need to be censored?
You don't 'protect' children from a video game that they shouldn't have access to in the first place.

they shouldn't have, but the fact remains, the have.

I don't agree with our censors, but I can understand their point. If it's going to be available in stores, minors will get access to it easily. Adding the need to import to get the uncensored version adds a new hurdle that's going to keep the adult content out of the hands of some (but of course not all) minors.

no they will not
in fact it's pretty hard for minors to get adult games from stores
it isn't as leisurely handled as in the states
often the 18+ rated games have an extra red package so the clerks notice it and then HAVE to ask for an ID

 

[KDR_11k]

If removing the violent graphics from the game makes it no fun it can't have been a good game in first place.

Censoring games clearly labeled to be only accessible for adults over the age of 18 anyway.
Tax money well spent.

Games about being extra brutal when killing people are seen as glorifying violence which is plain illegal in any medium, probably as a way of preventing people from spreading pro-war propaganda. That's also why games like Doom 3 and Dead Space came through unharmed, shambling monstrosities aren't people.

Indexing is separate which just means it's not allowed to be visible to minors but a game like that is considered not worth stocking for most stores so it's a de-facto ban even though the game isn't illegal.

I'm pretty sure they aren't allowed to have the untested version on display anyway. They might have some in the back, but you have to specifically ask them for it.

It's allowed, until the BPjM actually indexes the game it's freely allowed on shelves (and don't ask me how the App Store and XBLIG work with zero USK oversight), I've seen plenty of GameStops stocking the UK version of Crackdown 2.

 

[Chrinik]

Pff...don´t bother with that crap anymore. I just walk into my local gamesshop, greet the dude behind the counter, look through the games, take what I want, chat with the dude for an hour, pay and go home.
He ONLY sells PEGI rated games, he doesn´t even accept USK rated games as trade unless he sees a possibility to make it into money (a highly selling sportsgame or whatever), that´s his buisness model, and it´s completely legal.

Indexed games, as has been said before, only aren´t allowed to be advertised for unless there is a USK Version, and can be freely sold "under the counter"...you know, like porn, drugs etc, exept drugs are illegal anyway<.< But it is the same feeling you get.

I probably go out next week and buy Dead Space 2, even tho it won´t be censored that much, I still like to support the men behind Downtown Videogames (advertise, advertise!!!!).

 

[Chrinik]

Censoring games clearly labeled to be only accessible for adults over the age of 18 anyway.
Tax money well spent.

This. If it's an 18+ game then why the hell does it need to be censored?
You don't 'protect' children from a video game that they shouldn't have access to in the first place.

they shouldn't have, but the fact remains, the have.

I don't agree with our censors, but I can understand their point. If it's going to be available in stores, minors will get access to it easily. Adding the need to import to get the uncensored version adds a new hurdle that's going to keep the adult content out of the hands of some (but of course not all) minors.

no they will not
in fact it's pretty hard for minors to get adult games from stores
it isn't as leisurely handled as in the states
often the 18+ rated games have an extra red package so the clerks notice it and then HAVE to ask for an ID

You never heard of the "Big Brother", "Older Friend" and "Mom, buy me this it´s really cool" tactics then.
But that is possible everywhere, just need someone whos 18 and willing to buy you the game, and you will get your hands on it. It is notably harder if they are only sold in gaming shops you need to be an insider to know about XD
Once I was on a schooling in a city up north in germany and went into a game store there...he had Dead Rising, and I wanted it. I wasn´t yet 18 but the PEGI rating said 17+ or something. So the clerk CALLED MY MOM and made sure she gave permission...THAT is a way that works. Sadly, most don´t really care about so much hassle, or parents won´t know about games all that much.
My mom sometimes watches me play whatever I just happen to have in the console, things like Prototype, where I viciously cut Marines in half who shot at me. She even asked things like "Aren´t those your guys?" and "Oh, that must have hurt!" ("No mom, I made it especially quick and painless, I don´t like causing pain.") but generally looks at these things as harmless stuff, like movies.

Wish more parents would show interest in what their kids are doing...would help us out ALOT.

 

[MercurySteam]

I'm really feeling sorry for those Germans. It'd be like censoring Duke Nukem: Forever.

 

[Moosejaw]

This is a country where it's a crime to deny the holocaust. Imagine throwing people in prison for thinking the moon landing was faked or that JFK was killed by the CIA.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

You could almost cope without the blood and dismemberment, but the rag-doll physics are actually integral to the gameplay!
It must suck to be a German gamer...

 

[RabbiiFrystofsk]

If they desperately wanted it im pretty sure they could buy it off the likes of Amazon or Ebay.

 

[Moriarty]

no they will not
in fact it's pretty hard for minors to get adult games from stores
it isn't as leisurely handled as in the states
often the 18+ rated games have an extra red package so the clerks notice it and then HAVE to ask for an ID

so you'll get someone else to buy it for you. Your brother, a friend, your parents, or just pay a hobo ten bucks to buy it. Age restrictions NEVER stopped me from getting a game I wanted when I was still a kid.

Ill post some pics when i get to town again. do you go to specific game shops? The only one that didn't have them were gamestop and supermarkets. But yes it is legal, a few years back age restrictions didn't apply to used games btw. Well during the early game cube years anyway.

I was talking from dated experience, I admit. I live pretty far away from any major cities, so before I was able to import stuff or steam was around I mostly had to buy games from supermarkets because there wasn't anything else in the area. Even now, the best we have is a Mediamarkt, which I never used to buy games since it's more expensive than buying stuff on the internet anyway.

 

[geierkreisen]

What!? Is it a fucking POLICE STATE over there or something!?

It's fine to say "kids can't buy a game this violent"

It's not fine to say "This game is too violent for ADULTS"

and it's a fucking JOKE to say "You can't gather information on this game until late at night"

No police state, no sir. Just a mixture of post-WWII peace movement thinking, combined with conservative political decision-making. Nobody here has any problems with boobs, mind you. We just have a different cultural mindset.

The educated adult consumer doesn't suffer much, the kids HAVE to put more energy into it. And by the way, the companies WANT to circumvent having their titles put on the index and that's why THEY cut the content. Nobody has to cut, but you will lose money if you don't. Why do Americans bleep so much of their content on TV or with music? HELL, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE! HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THIS?!

It's a facade, everyone here knows. I wonder why the outcry in other countries is ever so loud when news like this come up. I get it, Germany is still evil...or at least strangely foreign. Get a new Feindbild, guys!

This is a country where it's a crime to deny the holocaust. Imagine throwing people in prison for thinking the moon landing was faked or that JFK was killed by the CIA.

Well how cute, cultural and moral incompetence well formulated. We killed a lot of people, we feel bad about it, soon all the survivors will die of old age. So let's just forget about it, shall we? Nobody wanders into prison for denying the holocaust. You have to pay a fine. It's like tax evasion or speeding. On the other hand it's only fair that we chisel "NEVER FORGET" into every dimwit forehead we can get a hold of. That is called education. It transfers knowledge from one generation to the next. Comparing the holocaust with no deaths (moon landing) or one death (JFK) tells me that you seem to have successfully evaded any kind of moral education whatsoever. Bravo.

 

[Kroxile]

Well, at least my German friends can import the game.

 

[veloper]

Just import from Belgium or the Netherlands.

 

[Danpascooch]

What!? Is it a fucking POLICE STATE over there or something!?

It's fine to say "kids can't buy a game this violent"

It's not fine to say "This game is too violent for ADULTS"

and it's a fucking JOKE to say "You can't gather information on this game until late at night"

No police state, no sir. Just a mixture of post-WWII peace movement thinking, combined with conservative political decision-making. Nobody here has any problems with boobs, mind you. We just have a different cultural mindset.

The educated adult consumer doesn't suffer much, the kids HAVE to put more energy into it. And by the way, the companies WANT to circumvent having their titles put on the index and that's why THEY cut the content. Nobody has to cut, but you will lose money if you don't. Why do Americans bleep so much of their content on TV or with music? HELL, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE! HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THIS?!

It's a facade, everyone here knows. I wonder why the outcry in other countries is ever so loud when news like this come up. I get it, Germany is still evil...or at least strangely foreign. Get a new Feindbild, guys!

This is a country where it's a crime to deny the holocaust. Imagine throwing people in prison for thinking the moon landing was faked or that JFK was killed by the CIA.

Well how cute, cultural and moral incompetence well formulated. We killed a lot of people, we feel bad about it, soon all the survivors will die of old age. So let's just forget about it, shall we? Nobody wanders into prison for denying the holocaust. You have to pay a fine. It's like tax evasion or speeding. On the other hand it's only fair that we chisel "NEVER FORGET" into every dimwit forehead we can get a hold of. That is called education. It transfers knowledge from one generation to the next. Comparing the holocaust with no deaths (moon landing) or one death (JFK) tells me that you seem to have successfully evaded any kind of moral education whatsoever. Bravo.

It's not the same as bleeping TV shows.

You can still buy the dvd of the show with all of the swears intact.

Not only can an adult not buy these intact games, but they can't even view the trailers until late at night? That's insane.

 

[Staskala]

This is a country where it's a crime to deny the holocaust. Imagine throwing people in prison for thinking the moon landing was faked or that JFK was killed by the CIA.

You don't actually know what "Holocaust Denial" is, right?
Because it's not just thinking and/or saying that there was no Holocaust.
Also, comparing the Holocaust to baseless conspiracy theories is very classy I must say.

OT: The earth keeps spinning, games get censored in Germany, foreigners report about it despite not understanding the system at all and noone cares.

 

[Staskala]

Double post

 

[vivster]

Censoring games clearly labeled to be only accessible for adults over the age of 18 anyway.
Tax money well spent.

This. If it's an 18+ game then why the hell does it need to be censored?
You don't 'protect' children from a video game that they shouldn't have access to in the first place.

they shouldn't have, but the fact remains, the have.

I don't agree with our censors, but I can understand their point. If it's going to be available in stores, minors will get access to it easily. Adding the need to import to get the uncensored version adds a new hurdle that's going to keep the adult content out of the hands of some (but of course not all) minors.

no they will not
in fact it's pretty hard for minors to get adult games from stores
it isn't as leisurely handled as in the states
often the 18+ rated games have an extra red package so the clerks notice it and then HAVE to ask for an ID

You never heard of the "Big Brother", "Older Friend" and "Mom, buy me this it´s really cool" tactics then.
But that is possible everywhere, just need someone whos 18 and willing to buy you the game, and you will get your hands on it. It is notably harder if they are only sold in gaming shops you need to be an insider to know about XD
Once I was on a schooling in a city up north in germany and went into a game store there...he had Dead Rising, and I wanted it. I wasn´t yet 18 but the PEGI rating said 17+ or something. So the clerk CALLED MY MOM and made sure she gave permission...THAT is a way that works. Sadly, most don´t really care about so much hassle, or parents won´t know about games all that much.
My mom sometimes watches me play whatever I just happen to have in the console, things like Prototype, where I viciously cut Marines in half who shot at me. She even asked things like "Aren´t those your guys?" and "Oh, that must have hurt!" ("No mom, I made it especially quick and painless, I don´t like causing pain.") but generally looks at these things as harmless stuff, like movies.

Wish more parents would show interest in what their kids are doing...would help us out ALOT.

we were talking about stores here
the big brother technique of course works everywhere, including imports
i was getting at your point that you said "if it's in STORES children could get it"
if children have older people to buy it for them they can get everything from everywhere but that's not in the responsibility of store owners or game rating boards