Comments on: Germany moves to ban the distribution and production of violent videogames

By: TheTwelve

TheTwelve — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:52:57 +0000

Germany is SO eager to get rid of their past that now they’re going overboard.

By: Superfrog

Superfrog — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:37:34 +0000

Movies as a medium are more established than games. Even though many violent movies don’t see an uncut release in germany, they are not even closely as much in the pillory as games are.

Those politicians at the age of 45 to 65 are convinced out of theory that the interactive component of playing games is more dangerous than passively watching movies. And they use the fact that most of the school shooters more or less played Counter-Strike as “proof” that there is some connection. At the same time, they ignore that 90% of all boys of the same age probably play CS, too. And CS is not even violent. It’s ridiculous…

By: JesteR

JesteR — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:44:51 +0000

Hm i dont think they are über-cautious. I can not think of any movies that got banned like Saw or so. Those movies are pretty violent but the politicians dont seem to have a problem with it. Maybe it because they like movies too and they dont play games? I can only hope when a younger generations of politicians comes into power that they changed it back to normal.

By: Superfrog

Superfrog — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:13:09 +0000

It’s a generational conflict. The older generation (= still the majority of politicians in Germany) thinks that it knows everything about video games from theory, but it doesn’t. It’s the same as in other countries, think Jack Thompson x50. But since the end of WWII, Germany is traditionally über-cautious and very sceptical when it comes to any kind of new media. It’s seen as either kid’s stuff or dangerous. They try to avoid any possible “danger” to the society. It’s sick and stupid, but it won’t change much until the generation that grew up with games comes to power… :/

By: mtothew

mtothew — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:27:20 +0000

yeah i know but thats one problem here. im not talking about school shootings only, its also about violence. politicians think young people are violent because of these games and the feelings that stop you from killing or hurting someone go away by playing these games. so yeah, its not about integration concerning the shootings, but its part of the debate

By: JesteR

JesteR — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:36:42 +0000

Integration is the wrong word because that refers to foreign people living in Germany. School shooter were all germans as far as i know so far.

By: mtothew

mtothew — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:42:15 +0000

you know i love my country – but i hate the politicians. they blame videogames for a much deeper problem. integration doesn’t work well in some cities or areas, our school system is so old and discirminates students that seem to be “stupid”, actually, they just need help and voila, they could be as smart as anyone else. but that would be too complicated to solve, violent videogames are such a convenient excuse for being lazy and saving money in the wrong places. why cant they face the fact that its something young people (and some older people as well) do, its a new thing they didnt have when they were young – why ruin it? why ruin one economic branch?

By: polygem

polygem — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:47:17 +0000

yea OnkelMaik dirty empowered old men and women who lost touch – its sad

By: polygem

polygem — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:45:20 +0000

sigh – this is so stupid – where is the connection between a game and violence that happens in reality? what about a connection between meat eating causing violonce then? or superstar tv shows causing inferiority complexes in kids…f%&k it…amazon.co.uk and austria – my money will be yours.

kid amok

By: OnkelMaik

OnkelMaik — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:35:49 +0000

It is a product of the current election campaign. Our politicians are simply too old.

Greetings from a poor German…

By: bradleyw

bradleyw — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:57:15 +0000

Terrible idea. Video games are not the problem. Why dont they blame alcohol or bad parenting or tv or something…HELL no they won’t, so who gets the dump taken on…video games

By: BULArmy

BULArmy — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:37:57 +0000

Yeah and the piracy will grow in Germany because of that law. I thing that Germany go to far. Violent games are not the biggest problem of our society.

By: wz

wz — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:18:05 +0000

Will not happen.

By: jnms

jnms — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:17:50 +0000

@Robo_1, perhaps Hitler played violent board games, there must be a link to gaming somewhere!!!!

By: Robo_1

Robo_1 — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:59:31 +0000

The nauseating process of politics. Despite no evidence linking violent games to violent crime, they’ve found their scapegoat and they’re going to run with it for all to see.

I wonder if Hitler was a big Call of Duty fan

By: JesteR

JesteR — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:30:48 +0000

Amazon.co.uk will get even more money from germans. Or people just download it from torrent. This law just kills any kind of german developer scene. How far away from reality can politicians be?

By: Michael O'Connor

Michael O'Connor — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 05:38:37 +0000

“This is very well thought out and bound to be a huge success.”

I detect a hint of sarcasm.

By: Superfrog

Superfrog — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:39:10 +0000

It’s not going to happen, they (the interior ministers) already tried it before.

By: Retroid

Retroid — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:31:06 +0000

This is very well thought out and bound to be a huge success.

By: Macrike

Macrike — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:02:02 +0000

Oh well, no God of War III for our German neighbours then. Import ftw.

By: anasui

anasui — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:11:00 +0000

the wonders of import will again make this thing useless