Germany poised to ban all violent video games
Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:21PM EDT
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Like gamers around the world, Germans love their shoot-'em-ups. Sure, video gaming isn't quite the industry in Germany that it is in the U.S. (or some other parts of Europe), but it's still an enormous market for the industry.
Those days are quite likely to come to a screeching halt in a matter of weeks, as Germany is well on its way to banning all "violent video games," defined (via translation) as games "where the main part is to realistically play the killing of people or other cruel or inhuman acts of violence against humans or manlike characters."
Hmmmm... sounds like just about every game I play.
The move isn't just one politician banging a shoe on the podium in outrage. All 16 German states have already agreed on the move and are set on implementing it -- and soon. The only real hurdle remaining is pushing the law through German parliament, and that could happen before the end of the summer.
The law would have even broader consequences for game companies based in Germany (including Crysis creator Crytek), as the law would outlaw not just the sale of violent video games but the development of them in Germany, too. These companies would either be forced out of business or compelled to outsource development to other countries, unable to publish their own titles on their home turf.
Why all the panic over video games? The usual stuff, really: Their potential link to violence, particularly among youths. Earlier this year a German teenager killed more than a dozen people while dressed in black camouflage, purportedly copying moves learned in the terrorism-focused Counter-Strike. Such links are extremely controversial, but Germany has been at the forefront of lambasting violent games for years as causing these incidents.
So if the law becomes a reality, what then? Could this be a first step in a broad move to censor violence in all forms: TV shows, movies, books? No reporting of violence in German newspapers and on television news? National Internet filters to keep violent content (and web games) out of the minds of German citizens?
Lots for Germans to think about while they're playing Wii Bowling and Cake Mania.
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27 Posted by fiddleheadpa on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:19AM EDT Report Abuse
About time. The author didn't even examine the option that the company that is forced to stop making them might just come up with another type of video game that isn't just about killing people. Sad! ps. ever notice that when people die in a video game, the bodied just disappear?
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28 Posted by juancho13 on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:19AM EDT Report Abuse
the fuehrer would be ashamed
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29 Posted by sstockhamer on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:24AM EDT Report Abuse
Hooray for Germany. Hope the USA follows suit. I watched my grandson playing a vicious and realistic war game the other day and wished that this stuff could be banned. Certainly his parents could ban it, but they do not share my belief that hours of killing people and blowing things up is a harmful perience. Shame on them. Society pays the price for this harmful conditioning and society should ban it.
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30 Posted by cmb357 on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:24AM EDT Report Abuse
I currently live and work in Germany and have for may years. I see this a very stupid move. My son is 5 and plays GTA and we play together. He knows the difference in real and pretend and knows the consequences if it were real. The key is to educate youths not hide the truth from them. My father taught me how to handle a gun at a very young age and taught me how to hunt as well. I did not turn out to be a killer, but an educated person who knows the consequences of using a gun for the wrong purpose. Germany has banned the sport of paint ball as well yet it is ok for kids to drink alcohol here at the age of 16 and party party party. That sure does teach them well doesnt it?
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31 Posted by myrlstolemybike on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:28AM EDT Report Abuse
Another government oppressing the people. Let's hope Iran swings the other way.
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32 Posted by lifesworkent on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:29AM EDT Report Abuse
German kids will simply start killing each other over the high priced black market video games just like kids in America do over expensive shoes.
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33 Posted by jws381 on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:30AM EDT Report Abuse
Since the release of the original Grand Theft Auto, violent crime among teens and young adults have decreased. As it turns out, they kill people in games instead of real life, not in real life because of the games. Games have nothing to do with crime. Violent criminals are created by people. Only reality has the power to create true evil.
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34 Posted by doctor_feelgood1976 on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:32AM EDT Report Abuse
What's next, banning Super Mario Bros. for the senseless squashing of living mushrooms?
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35 Posted by aaron_messenbrink on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:34AM EDT Report Abuse
Hitler played lots of Counter Strike.
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36 Posted by darkneoside on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:34AM EDT Report Abuse
Watch, the violence is gonna increase, gamers are gonna protest like heck Well I hope they do, if I lived in Germany, I would ASAP, can't live without my RPG and fighting games....
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37 Posted by ricktheangel on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:36AM EDT Report Abuse
interesting that self censorship and the will to create what one might consider a perfect society, free of any violent video games is happening in germany i guess they still havent learned that censorship eventually leaves to much power in one individual who then dictates what how and who is to live, sound familiar.
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38 Posted by polychronis_phaedra on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:36AM EDT Report Abuse
There is nothing wrong with a government trying to promote certain healthy values in its society. Don't forget that in the United States, non-cable channels are not allowed to use certain inappropriate language, or to show scenes involving exposure of certain body-parts, etc. I'm pretty sure it would be hard to draw "links" between somebody watching a more detailed sex scene, or being exposed to profanities, and yet I don't seen anyone complaining about that.
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39 Posted by lobster68w on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:37AM EDT Report Abuse
Good to see Germany returning to it's ways past. They also want to ban all firearms including paintball and airsoft. History is destined to repeat itself.
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40 Posted by hamiltonpn on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:39AM EDT Report Abuse
I think its a brilliant move by Germany. Its a fundamental move to protect innocent children from despicable violence and horrifying images. Anyone who cant see the merit in what the Germans are proposing needs to have a careful look at themselves. Its long overdue that a leading nation takes a stand on something of moral value.
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41 Posted by asatru_gothar on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:45AM EDT Report Abuse
I play World of Warcraft and although I do disagree with a total ban of such games, they certainly should not be played by minors. The game encourages cruelty and bullying. One character especially, the Death Knight has an ugly rise from level 55 to 58. Developers claim they don't market to children but since 80% of the players are minors it only shows they lie just like tobacco companies. The game is highly addictive and designed to be so. I like the game, but I would sacrifice my right to play it if it meant that children would no longer have access to it.
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42 Posted by longhammer6 on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:52AM EDT Report Abuse
Good for Germany, I wish I lived there.
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43 Posted by reinierreimer on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:55AM EDT Report Abuse
I think it is a good step forward to make a country a better place to live in. Of course, it is not a popular decision by American standard since the majority of American population is still livening in the Wild West and need at home as many weapons as they can carry because Americans feel very insecure. Hence the tendency for violent crimes and behavior How is it possible that in the great nation of USA exist such a high crime rate. Think about it and you find the answer your self. Games that people play inspire to real actions.
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44 Posted by nyyankeesownall on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:58AM EDT Report Abuse
"Anyone who cant see the merit in what the Germans are proposing needs to have a careful look at themselves." It's a terrible idea and Ive had a good hard look at myself. What exactly was your point? Only fools need to take the "If they don't do what I like well they are morally wrong" road. Watch me reverse this. Well, I think that this is clearly an abuse of power by the German government and showcases how much control government has on our lives. Furthermore, I believe anyone who supports this should have a good hard look at themselves and try to find the non-fascist person inside.
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45 Posted by volker_goldbecker on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:59AM EDT Report Abuse
Ask the family of the victims what they think about this kind of entertainment. While I agree that for 99.9% of the users it's only a game, we also have face the truth there are guys around who get pushed by these killer-games. My personal opinion is that abondonning these games shouldn't be a big loss for a human society. There are lots of creative other games around.
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26 Posted by akrouks on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:16AM EDT Report Abuse
Has anyone ever read Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment? It's about a guy who kills an old lady just so he knows how it feels like to kill! And yeah, there were no video games back then, as the book was written over A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. It is mindless to blame video games for violence, we just ave to accept there are some sick people in society and we have to catch them out before they do something horrible.