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General discussionGoG is killing it`s German market(211 posts)(211 posts)
(211 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted June 21, 2016
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InfraSuperman: Apparently, it's not. German editions of Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, as well as mangas like Blade of the Immortal or Hellsing, were censored to remove swastikas.
That changed over the years. Many comics include the swastikas now (they are in my edition od Watchmen). Some publishers still self-censor them, but there's no law that you can't show them (more or less the same as with computer games).
Posted June 21, 2016
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PaterAlf: That changed over the years. Many comics include the swastikas now (they are in my edition od Watchmen). Some publishers still self-censor them, but there's no law that you can't show them (more or less the same as with computer games).
I know that it's largely an issue stemming from the "better safe than sorry"-approach of publishers nowadays. It's cowardice and an unwillingness to actually stand up for the things they create or sell, but that particular attitude was pretty much bred into existence by the often unclear nature of the laws pertaining to Germany's supposedly non-existent censorship, as well as a long time of enduring pressure from institutions like the BPJM or the German government, so it's not like those are entirely without fault here.

By the way, which edition of Watchmen do you have? I have the German "Deluxe Edition", apparently from 2013, and that one is still censored. Do note that, in general, English-language releases don't seem to be affected by this, even if they're sold in German stores.
Posted June 21, 2016
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morolf: Bah, ridiculous, they're even going to block Dark forces (yeah, because that one will turn today's kiddies into spree killers...). I'm mostly unaffected since I'm not a big FPS fan, but still, very disappointing (as was making Commandos unaivalable for German buyers because of the swastikas...glad I bought those games before).
But ultimately I guess the problem is Germany being a shitty authoritarian country with idiotic laws...so not primarily Gog's fault.
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Maxvorstadt: German Government doesn`t like it when their people fight against Nazis, so games are forbidden if you can fight Nazis in them.
If you are inclined to fight Nazis, you might be inclined to fight German gov't.

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Siegor: To quote the great Alan Moore: "People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."
I'd be content with respect.
Post edited June 21, 2016 by richlind33
Posted June 21, 2016
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InfraSuperman: I know that it's largely an issue stemming from the "better safe than sorry"-approach of publishers nowadays. It's cowardice and an unwillingness to actually stand up for the things they create or sell, but that particular attitude was pretty much bred into existence by the often unclear nature of the laws pertaining to Germany's supposedly non-existent censorship, as well as a long time of enduring pressure from institutions like the BPJM or the German government, so it's not like those are entirely without fault here.

By the way, which edition of Watchmen do you have? I have the German "Deluxe Edition", apparently from 2013, and that one is still censored. Do note that, in general, English-language releases don't seem to be affected by this, even if they're sold in German stores.
I have the German Panini softcover edition. Don't know from which year, but probably from around 2010. But I think I had the discussion before and was amazed that the "Deluxe Edition" is censored while the normal softcover edition is not.
Posted June 21, 2016
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PaterAlf: I have the German Panini softcover edition. Don't know from which year, but probably from around 2010. But I think I had the discussion before and was amazed that the "Deluxe Edition" is censored while the normal softcover edition is not.
Yeah, that's pretty weird.
Posted June 21, 2016
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PaterAlf: I have the German Panini softcover edition. Don't know from which year, but probably from around 2010. But I think I had the discussion before and was amazed that the "Deluxe Edition" is censored while the normal softcover edition is not.
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InfraSuperman: Yeah, that's pretty weird.
I've got an English hardcover version – I think it is uncensored.
Posted June 21, 2016
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tinyE: Now that is an interesting point! No shit.
As you are a German I want to learn about this stuff, being totally serious here.

We all know about the laws pertaining to these games, but what about said production? I would imagine there are game devs in Germany, and some damn good ones, but are there laws in place dictating what they cannot include in their production?
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k4ZE106: Obviously everything that falls under §86 of the criminal code (use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations e.g. Nazis, IS, KKK etc.). Other than that it is at the discretion of the BPjM, if a game is approved, censored or banned from sale. It's weird sometimes.

Oh, and blood isn't green in any game that I've ever owned *chuckle*
Don't you have command and conquer ? It should be black - as in 'robot oil' if I remember correctly.
Posted June 21, 2016
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Maxvorstadt: They decided to threat us germans not as adults, but as little Kindergarten kids,
Threat germans as little kids?

Anyway what are these 20 games that are being region locked?
Posted June 21, 2016
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Elmofongo: Anyway what are these 20 games that are being region locked?
https://www.gog.com/game/aliens_versus_predator_classic_2000
https://www.gog.com/game/blake_stone_aliens_of_gold
https://www.gog.com/game/blood_2_the_chosen_expansion
https://www.gog.com/game/one_unit_whole_blood
https://www.gog.com/game/bloodrayne
https://www.gog.com/game/bloodrayne_2
https://www.gog.com/game/cannon_fodder
https://www.gog.com/game/carmageddon_2_carpocalypse_now
https://www.gog.com/game/carmageddon_max_pack
https://www.gog.com/game/the_chaos_engine
https://www.gog.com/game/far_cry
https://www.gog.com/game/harvester
https://www.gog.com/game/kingpin_life_of_crime
https://www.gog.com/game/lucius
https://www.gog.com/game/medal_of_honor_allied_assault_war_chest
https://www.gog.com/game/painkiller
https://www.gog.com/game/phantasmagoria_2
https://www.gog.com/game/postal_2_complete
https://www.gog.com/game/postal_classic_and_uncut
https://www.gog.com/game/red_faction
https://www.gog.com/game/red_faction_2
https://www.gog.com/game/redneck_rampage_collection
https://www.gog.com/game/rise_of_the_triad__dark_war
https://www.gog.com/game/rune_classic
https://www.gog.com/game/shadow_warrior_complete
https://www.gog.com/game/sin_gold
https://www.gog.com/game/star_wars_dark_forces
https://www.gog.com/game/total_overdose_a_gunslingers_tale_in_mexico
https://www.gog.com/game/unreal_tournament_2004_ece
https://www.gog.com/game/unreal_tournament_goty
https://www.gog.com/game/mortal_kombat_123
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mk47at: I've got an English hardcover version – I think it is uncensored.
Yes, as I pointed out in a previous post, most English-language editions of these comics seem to be free of this censorship.
Post edited June 21, 2016 by InfraSuperman
Posted June 21, 2016
^ RedFaction??? Why ??? Because communist symbolism?!?

I feel bad for german gamers but personally I'm just happy singapoor is not trying to censor fictional gay aliens again. Though recently they removed gay kissing in the musical Les Misérables.
Posted June 21, 2016
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dick1982: ^ RedFaction??? Why ??? Because communist symbolism?!?
Because it's a first person shooter that has blood and violence in it. For quite a while, the BPJM (or BPJS, as it was called before 2003) basically yanked everything that seemed too violent (officially "harmful to minors") to them. In the 80s, this included games like 1942 or Commando. They were quite rabid about putting games (and movies) on the index.
That's why Star Wars: Dark Forces and The Chaos Engine are to be locked as well. Even German censors would probably consider them laughably tame nowadays, but an entry on the index always lasts for 25 years, unless it's renewed (which would add another 25 years) or the publishers of the games/movies/books/etc. in question get the indexing repealed prematurely.

However, thanks to a change in laws in 2003 and a generally more relaxed attitude towards these things, the situation has eased up quite a bit. Today, even games like Shadow Warrior 2013 or Doom 2016 are officially available to us Germans. These old games are mostly just "sitting out their sentence", as it were.
Post edited June 21, 2016 by InfraSuperman
Posted June 21, 2016
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InfraSuperman: Yes, as I pointed out in a previous post, most English-language editions of these comics seem to be free of this censorship.
That's the word that's bothering me. I might have to check when the match is over.
Posted June 21, 2016
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mk47at: That's the word that's bothering me. I might have to check when the match is over.
I just used that because I don't know for sure if no English release of any comic is unaffected. In the case of Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, all English versions I've seen in stores so far were uncensored.
Posted June 21, 2016
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InfraSuperman: I just used that because I don't know for sure if no English release of any comic is unaffected. In the case of Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, all English versions I've seen in stores so far were uncensored.
Good to know. It's hard to do ctr+f swastika enter in a book. ;)
Posted June 21, 2016
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mk47at: Good to know. It's hard to do ctr+f swastika enter in a book. ;)
If you're interested, here's a report on the bits in question: http://www.schnittberichte.com/schnittbericht.php?ID=5984064
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionGoG is killing it`s German market(211 posts)(211 posts)
(211 posts)