German Gamers Get Heavily Censored Bulletstorm

[ph0b0s123]

You'll still be able to buy the uncensored version in stores, but you aren't allowed to advertise the game unless theres a rated version of it.
The international version won't get rated, so advertising isn't allowed but it still can be sold as long as the buyer is 18+. The rating only matters if your under 18. Since there is a rated censored version they can advertise again.
In case any non german reader wonder how it works here.

A good example was one of the new C&C games, the original version was denied a rating, so they released a censored version and an uncensored unrated "Kane Edition", both are sold openly in stores and 18+

Spoiler

So Germany's big stand on games actually turns out not to be worth the effort? It is lip service only and has no effect on Germany citizens getting the games they want? Wow that's a waste of tax money as it does not even stop what it is meant to?

 

[GiantRedButton]

You'll still be able to buy the uncensored version in stores, but you aren't allowed to advertise the game unless theres a rated version of it.
The international version won't get rated, so advertising isn't allowed but it still can be sold as long as the buyer is 18+. The rating only matters if your under 18. Since there is a rated censored version they can advertise again.
In case any non german reader wonder how it works here.

A good example was one of the new C&C games, the original version was denied a rating, so they released a censored version and an uncensored unrated "Kane Edition", both are sold openly in stores and 18+

Spoiler

So Germany's big stand on games actually turns out not to be worth the effort? It is lip service only and has no effect on Germany citizens getting the games they want? Wow that's a waste of tax money as it does not even stop what it is meant to?

Yes basicly except for steam and for the 13 banned games (mostly because of Nazi references).
Steam is more carefull as they don't know how old customers are and some are under 18.
The banned games are pretty rare, and banning is a long process so it happens after people have bought the game.
The rating board doesn't ban at all, and any rated game is forbidden to be banned.
Basicly the censored versions of games are an alternative, some games in germany get released unrated and not submitted to the usk at all for example.
Its bad that we have banned games at all, but a censored version coming out doesn't mean anything.

 

[Monsterfurby]

And the German video game industry is surprised about the amount of software pirating that's going on. Huh. Figures.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

I wanna play this game censored, just to see how F!'d up it is.

 

[jawakiller]

Dang, it sucks to live in Germany... not even the BMWs and the Porches they got can make up for that.

 

[geierkreisen]

Dang, it sucks to live in Germany... not even the BMWs and the Porches they got can make up for that.

I drive a Volkswagen.
And my country's economy doesn't suck balls.
Oh...and we don't have teabaggers claiming the earth's a disc and social security has been sent by the devil.

...and it's Porsches.

 

[jawakiller]

Dang, it sucks to live in Germany... not even the BMWs and the Porches they got can make up for that.

I drive a Volkswagen.
And my country's economy doesn't suck balls.
Oh...and we don't have teabaggers claiming the earth's a disc and social security has been sent by the devil.

...and it's Porsches.

what the fuck does that have to do with anything?
1. I was talking about the censors genius.
2. Germany's economy has nothing to do with the gay censorship laws.
3. What the fuck are you talking about? And why do you think the world is shaped like a disc?
4. Social security? Who wants to be like france?
5. Germany is much more accepting of gays, so calling Americans gay? Fail.
6. typo

 

[geierkreisen]

Dang, it sucks to live in Germany... not even the BMWs and the Porches they got can make up for that.

I drive a Volkswagen.
And my country's economy doesn't suck balls.
Oh...and we don't have teabaggers claiming the earth's a disc and social security has been sent by the devil.

...and it's Porsches.

what the fuck does that have to do with anything?
1. I was talking about the censors genius.
2. Germany's economy has nothing to do with the gay censorship laws.
3. What the fuck are you talking about? And why do you think the world is shaped like a disc?
4. Social security? Who wants to be like france?
5. Germany is much more accepting of gays, so calling Americans gay? Fail.
6. typo

1. Censorship is circumvented regularly and as such nothing problematic here in Germany
2. (and the rest)...I was being sarcastic, because I just hate it when Germany is treated like a police state, near-third-world country, mini-version of Sovjet Russia, or still-somewhat-Third-Reich-y shithole.

This whole thread and the news which started it is just used by Americans to have something they can feel superior about when the "problem" of censorship isn't really a problem for the adult German gamer at all. We can always get the games we want in the version we want. Blown out of proportion, like your initial post, like my reply.

Ask anyone from Germany if it "sucks to live in Germany" as you so eloquently stated. Then wait for the laughter.

 

[jawakiller]

Dang, it sucks to live in Germany... not even the BMWs and the Porches they got can make up for that.

I drive a Volkswagen.
And my country's economy doesn't suck balls.
Oh...and we don't have teabaggers claiming the earth's a disc and social security has been sent by the devil.

...and it's Porsches.

what the fuck does that have to do with anything?
1. I was talking about the censors genius.
2. Germany's economy has nothing to do with the gay censorship laws.
3. What the fuck are you talking about? And why do you think the world is shaped like a disc?
4. Social security? Who wants to be like france?
5. Germany is much more accepting of gays, so calling Americans gay? Fail.
6. typo

1. Censorship is circumvented regularly and as such nothing problematic here in Germany
2. (and the rest)...I was being sarcastic, because I just hate it when Germany is treated like a police state, near-third-world country, mini-version of Sovjet Russia, or still-somewhat-Third-Reich-y shithole.

This whole thread and the news which started it is just used by Americans to have something they can feel superior about when the "problem" of censorship isn't really a problem for the adult German gamer at all. We can always get the games we want in the version we want. Blown out of proportion, like your initial post, like my reply.

Ask anyone from Germany if it "sucks to live in Germany" as you so eloquently stated. Then wait for the laughter.

Hey man, my bad. I wasn't trying to get into a firefight with you and i agree that my post was rather inflammatory. I'm one of those people who hate government control so I guess I'm over critical when I believe they have over-stepped the boundaries. It was nothing against the country or you. (and you are right about the economy)

 

[geierkreisen]

Hey man, my bad. I wasn't trying to get into a firefight with you and i agree that my post was rather inflammatory. I'm one of those people who hate government control so I guess I'm over critical when I believe they have over-stepped the boundaries. It was nothing against the country or you. (and you are right about the economy)

Apology accepted. My reply wasn't quite nice as well. See, we neither have that strong First Amendment right to free speech in our constitution, nor do we have a very strong libertarian movement. But I am a Green social liberal which puts me in a rather difficult position here: artistic freedom vs protecting children (and only them, mind you) from problematic content. As long as my government tries to keep our society peaceful, but also free and open-minded, while a) only the most drastic digital violence is cut from video games and b) those adults (and sadly some kids and their dumb parents) ,who really want these games uncut, can import them or buy them from under the counter...as long as it's like this, I don't have a problem with any of it.

And I am not trying to glorify Germany here or to crap on America and its culture (which I love and studied for eight years). I just don't like intolerance and ignorance much.

 

[Anaphyis]

Whether your german or not is verified by ip (easy to circumvent) and by bank account (basiclly impossible for the majority).

Not really. I regularly buy there using a UK IP and a German credit card. Or get a game from amazon.co.uk, you'll have to pay a bit more for shipping but usually it's still at least 50% cheaper than German retail.

 

[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.

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.

I wasn't comparing the Holocaust to baseless conspiracy theories, I was comparing the DENIAL of the Holocaust to baseless conspiracy theories.

 

[duchaked]

good grief...
how's Australia doing with all of this?

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Bulletstorm need open up a donations button on their website for all the German gamers who are going to no doubt end up downloading this illegally, despite wanting to buy it, but knowing they can't be trusted to turn into serial killers the moment they shoot a man in the butt in a video game.

Seriously tho, Steam I believe blocks things, I know there's games in the US that I can't access from my UK account, I'd assume your only real option is to have an austrian friend open the account, buy the games for you, then you wire them the money. I say Austrian, because I seem to remember Austrian releases are not (ironically) butchered of half their content, yet still have German voice acting.

Germany needs to get over it if they allow violent movies however, and if not, they need to get over THAT, then get over violent games. They're just saying no to big stacks of tax money.

and I thought the UK government was being dicks for not supporting the UK gaming industry with tax breaks, at least they allow the damn games to be released, even if they think they're released by Satan himself to corrupt the nation's youth. (See 'Keith Vaz' for more info.)

 

[Canid117]

I would have just said "Fuck it" if I was the publisher.

 

[sylekage]

Again, It's not over 18 people who are responsible for what kids play, it's their over 18 parents who let them play bad games like this, and people who are of age aren't aloud to see some blood and guts that they bought the game specifically for. how does this make sense?