Germany No Longer Considers Doom "Harmful" to Youths, Removes 17-Year Ban
Germany No Longer Considers Doom "Harmful" to Youths, Removes 17-Year Ban
Posted 09/01/2011 at 9:26am
| by Paul Lilly
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Gamers living in Germany are finally able to purchase (legally) Doom and Doom II, a pair of software titles previously placed in an index of banned titles by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (Bundesprufstelle), the same index reserved for pornography.
Pete Hines, VP of PR and Marketing for Betheseda Software, the publisher whose parent company scooped up id Software in 2009, explained to Joystiq.com that index appeals are permissible after 10 years. Both Doom (released in 1993) and Doom II (released in 1994) were placed in the index in 1994.
"We are obviously very pleased with their decision," Hines told Joystiq.com. "Can't give you details yet on when they will be available in Germany. We'll let everyone know as soon as we know."
Doom's graphics are no longer cutting edge like they were almost two decades ago, but according to a BBC report, the decision to remove both titles from the index wasn't based on graphic quality alone. As explained to the BBC, the panel looks for "drastic portrayals of violence directed against human or human-like beings. If the game does not contain any real alternative scenes which might on the whole 'neutralize' the violent parts, then the game is likely to be found to have a harmful effect on minors."
That's still an issue with Doom and Doom II, but the panel now considers those games "of historical interest" and less likely to fall into the hands of children, partially because it will only be available to gamers at least 16 years old.
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Digital-Storm
September 01, 2011 at 12:55pm
I believe it was banned for Nazi references or something.
szore
September 02, 2011 at 5:36am
That would make sense. The Krauts are still a little embarassed over the world tour of 1943.
DasHellMutt
September 01, 2011 at 11:57am
Man I miss shareware. It was the perfect advertising/distribution system. Now they'd just call it piracy and try to sue everybody.
Exarkun1138
September 01, 2011 at 10:21am
I was playing DOOM when it was still in Beta form, before there were even monsters in the levels. I got each incarnation of it as it progressed, and then played the final version as well as the add-on's and DOOM 2. Didn't like DOOM 3, though. But, DOOM, especially today, is so mild and almost comical in its depiction of death, that I would let some 5 year old play it. They'd probably get bored with it within a few minutes, anyway!
To have banned it this long is so stupid it borders on insane! With the games we see today? Puh-Leeeeeze!!
Coldrage
September 01, 2011 at 9:50am
I have been playing doom, quake, wolfenstein, die hard and a whole plethora of other violent games since I was 4 or 5 years old and I am now 22 and one of the most humble and sane people you could meet.
bling581
September 01, 2011 at 11:22am
It's not the games themselves that affect people. Children that are influenced by violent games most likely have behavior issues to begin with. Though he's too young for video games, my 5 year old nephew immitates just about everything he sees and isn't allowed to watch even mildly violent shows, even if they are cartoons.
TerribleToaster
September 01, 2011 at 10:21am
Yours most humbly,
COLDRAGE
P.S. RAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
(Sorry, couldn't resist)
ttre208
September 01, 2011 at 9:33am
Is there anyone under the age of 20 who would still play DooM? I could give it to my little cousin and he wouldn't play it. But for those who remember it, I need to go dig it out again and give it a spin. I can remember my grandmother(yes that's right) teaching me how to play DooM and Wolfenstein 3d, along with Jazz Jack Rabbit. Good times, good times.
Nimrod
September 02, 2011 at 2:41pm
yeah just like no one plays NES games any more. oh wait, your retarded
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