After 18 years first person shooter Doom had been removed from Germany’s controlled titles list, a designation that made the game only available for sale at “adult only” stores in the country.
ID Software announced on Thursday that the game had been removed from the list after parent company Bethesda managed to convince the Germany Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (Bundesprufstelle) that the pixelated violence portrayed in the game poses no threat to young German gamers.
As part of their argument the company pointed out that current FPS titles are far more violent and offer more realistic type blood and gore.
Speaking to the BBC Bundesprufstelle officials said their decision wasn’t based solely on graphical merits, but also:
“Drastic portrayals of violence directed against human or human-like beings”. It added, “If the game then does not contain any real alternative scenes which might on the whole ‘neutralise’ the violent parts, then the game is likely to be found to have a harmful effect on minors.”
In the end the group decided that that game was a title of “mainly historic interest” which was unlikely to be played by children.
Basically German officials decided that Doom equated to an old piece of furniture in an antiques store and we all know how much kids hate antique shopping.
Germany has thought about banning all violent video games , which could make this whole point moot, but only time can tell.
Do you think games like Doom will be played by children in Germany or will they pass for more modern options.
