Germany rejects violent games ban

Having revealed last year that it was to consider illegalising the sale of violent video games, the German government has confirmed that it is to abandon the plans.

Game Politics reports that the decision follows a successful campaign that saw the submission of a 73,000 signature strong petition.

The document argued the government should instead introduce a media education scheme to spread understanding of the PEGI system amongst the public.

The news is all the more welcome after recent decisions in other countries. In March Switzerland passed a law that will pave the way for hugely tight controls over the sale and production of violent games in the country – and possibly an outright ban.

In the same month South American republic Venezuela introduced an outright ban on violent games, or more specifically video games or programs that can be use on personal computers, arcade systems, consoles, portable devices or mobile telephones, or any other electronic or telephonic device, that contain information or images that promote or incite violence and the use of weapons”.

Germany has historically caused publishers a bit of a headache due to its strict rules concerning depictions of the World Wars, leading to titles such as Silent Hunter 5 being recalled from sale after swastikas were found in game – part of the routine localisation process for games being released in Germany is the removal of all Nazi symbols.