End the violence (in videogames)

Tue Jun 09 09:57AM by Yahoo! UK Games Editor

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According to several internet sources, including this one Germany's 16 Interior Ministers are rallying to completely stamp out violent videogames.

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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User comments

  • (31)

    They have to do something , whats the point of games where killing looks real accept maybe if your in the army?

    Posted by: arnie_atie on Tue Jun 09 04:51PM | Report abuse
  • (32)

    This is a stupid idea games are games so why ban them for god sake things like this piss me off

    Posted by: richardmoss195 on Tue Jun 09 04:51PM | Report abuse
  • (33)

    GOOD WORK MINISTERS

    Posted by: nickgarside on Tue Jun 09 04:51PM | Report abuse
  • (34)

    Why don't they stop selling guns instead? Or is that too obvious...

    Posted by: chrishelme2003 on Tue Jun 09 04:51PM | Report abuse
  • (35)

    Oh please! I'm 33 and play games all the time and have not lost my grip on reality!..these people were 'insane' before ..lets blame movies or coffee..No! that's crazt too. the person had mental health problems which were there b4 any games

    Posted by: dmaguire38 on Tue Jun 09 04:51PM | Report abuse
  • (36)

    ffs games do not make people go out and kill people, although I hope someone shoots the guy who wants to ban them :)

    Posted by: np_cartwright on Tue Jun 09 04:52PM | Report abuse
  • (37)

    absolutely right decision. video games make children think they are invinsible and if they shoot or stab victims it's ok they will get up and be fine till the next time

    Posted by: wickidwitch on Tue Jun 09 04:52PM | Report abuse
  • (38)

    Ha Ha, What a load of tripe. To say it's the computer games that are the catalyst and not the "crazy" in the person themselves is hilarious!!! I play violent computer games all the time and don't have murderous urges, although that cat IS looking funny at me...

    Posted by: jetpig_uk on Tue Jun 09 04:52PM | Report abuse
  • (39)

    Of course video games aren't too blame, in the same way that music isn't too blame for such attacks. For a person to commit murder they have to have something a little "out of whack" within their head anyway, the fact that they have played a violent shooter is irrelevant. After all, if video games really were the cause of such violence then wouldn't we all be comitting murders?

    Posted by: thomasrconnelly on Tue Jun 09 04:52PM | Report abuse
  • (40)

    FUCK NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All the people who have done this school massacres are people who have been bullied and have had enough or they have mental issues. Sort that and there will be no more school shootings!!! You're a RETARD Gordon Brown.

    Posted by: aidan.ryce on Tue Jun 09 04:52PM | Report abuse