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The online edition of German news magazine Der Spiegel has revealed that interior ministers urged against ‘Killerspiele' (killer games) during a conference held last Friday. Although details are only being shared in English via online translations such as this, it seems clear that German ministers are now serious about preventing another incident like Winnenden on 11 March where a 17-year-old shot 15 people. The previous evening the shooter had been playing the game "Far Cry 2".
Spiegel Online details that the ministers have appealed for "an explicit production and dissemination ban as soon as possible", preventing the development and distribution of all games considered to be violent within Germany.
The Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) software ratings board already stands in the way of many violent games being released in Germany. The blockbuster "Gears of War" series for Xbox 360 is among them. However the key issue with the latest appeal to the Bundestag, the German equivalent of the British Parliament, is that violent videogames may not be produced on German soil. This would be hard on German based developer Crytek, coincidentally responsible for the original "Far Cry".
Winnenden isn't the first tragedy to move government officials against violent games, and especially those that involve shooting other people. The Columbine High School massacre of 1999 brought that same year's E3 videogame convention under US government scrutiny, forcing first-person-shooters - in particular ultra-realistic ‘simulation' Soldier of Fortune - behind closed doors, viewable by appointment only. In the case of Columbine it was id Software's "Doom" held responsible.
Do violent videogames beget violent gun-toting youths? Are the German ministers over-reacting, or even acting to be seen to be acting? If the German ministers' appeals are accepted, and if the decision proves to be popular overseas, it's likely that UK MPs will see vote-winning opportunities in this country too.
Prudence or politics? You decide.
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This is ridiculous, it will probably happen in UK soon. People don't play a war game or something, run to a gunshop and imitate it on the streets lol. German Minister: "Ooh, there's been an increase in public violence... lets... ban war games?" Me: "What? lol"
Posted by: hugobrook on Tue Jun 09 04:48PM | Report abuseWhat a load of rubbish. Violence existed before video games and will continue to exist. this is nothing more than a bunch of politicians putting a sticking plaster over a genuine problem that they do not know how to tackle.
Posted by: frank_west5 on Tue Jun 09 04:48PM | Report abuselammmmmme poor germans :(
Posted by: chasey201 on Tue Jun 09 04:49PM | Report abusethis is utter bullsh1t games don't kill people, guns do, and if some r3tarded kid goes and shoots a load of people because he saw it on a game, then the question of the mental health of that person has to be taken into consideration. Millions of people around the world play these so called "killer" games but as soon as one or two nutjobs kill some people then the media are quick to point the finger. If anything, movies are probably more influential and games are good for the stress relief and discourage the violence that is played in the game. Get a grip Germany. Just cos you lost the war :P
Posted by: mrgod247 on Tue Jun 09 04:49PM | Report abusei know for a fact the uk wont ban violent video games, Gordon loves Call Of Duty
Posted by: heldipoops on Tue Jun 09 04:49PM | Report abuse..and if Germany pass the ban, the EU will then force it upon ALL EU member states. As they do with everything else. Silly, silly people not voting, letting the BNP get in, when we should have voted Ukip to GET US OUT.
Posted by: paulbarlow69 on Tue Jun 09 04:49PM | Report abuseIve just been playing Motor Storm on my PS3, and on my way out tonight i am thinking about jumping a 300 foot cliff then driving through volcano lava. WHAT A LOAD OF OLD RUBBISH... the kid who done the shooting at that school, it was his brain that was defective. Plus why does a 17 year old have a gun in the first place.
Posted by: djjustone73 on Tue Jun 09 04:49PM | Report abuseWhat a load of rubbish I've been playing video games since the late 70's and I have no urge to go and blow up a school. Video games are harmless its the nutcase's who perpetrate these acts that want banning not the video game industry. Typical sodding P.C. atitudes
Posted by: gradydent on Tue Jun 09 04:49PM | Report abuseIt won't stop people in Germany buying games on the internet and having them delivered. Or is the government going to start opening everyone mail too?
Posted by: jonathanstratford on Tue Jun 09 04:50PM | Report abuseThis ranks up there along side violence films or violence on television causes people to be violent. Pure nonsense - only people inclinded to violence might find that they could be influenced.
Posted by: david_s_geist on Tue Jun 09 04:50PM | Report abuse