Germany rejects Dead Rising

By Eurogamer staff Published 18 July, 2006

For now.

Germany's videogames ratings board, the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, has refused to give Xbox 360 title Dead Rising a rating.

In an earlier report, we stated that the game had actually been banned outright, but Marek Klingelstein from the USK has been in touch to clarify this. "The German Age Rating system (as your much better informed readers already know) cannot ban a game," he wrote. "A game can only be banned by the BPjM when it's on the market."

"Getting no Rating for a game (That's what happend with Dead Rising - we declined to give it a rating) gives the BPjM the opportunity to ban the game later on," he explained.

According to reports, the USK made the decision to reject the game after its content was deemed to be too violent. Dead Rising sees players taking on the role of photographer Frank West, who finds himself caught up in a battle against an army of zombies. It's thought that the USK has objected to the way in which players must hack and slash enemies to destroy them.

Historically, Germany has taken a tough line on violence in videogames, and publishers are often required to release different versions of their titles there - for example, many titles must feature green blood instead of red so that they appear less gory.

Marek isn't happy with that either, by the way. "Please, no more green blood discussion. As the gametester I have played over 8,000 games, and the last green blood I saw was in 1995. This is an urban legend that we're trying to overcome, but it gets harder and harder - maybe journalism is part of the problem." Maybe you're right - sorry Marek!

Capcom has yet to issue a statement regarding the USK's decision.

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Comments (49) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Der_tolle_Emil #1 6 years ago

    This is a bad thing. Luckily I do not live in Germany.

    I have read the Carmageddon sidenote in a few other newsposts regarding the ban of Dead Rising. To clarify things: I live in Austria, Germany's neighbour. It was often the case that we had the same censored games on the shelves like they had in Germany, so I know all the German Carmageddon versions - and there were no zombies. All the people including animals were replaced with robots that did not look like humans at all.

    Carmageddon TDR however indeed included zombies - with a major difference: Green blood. Very often the green blood saves a game from a ban, a lot of titles here came with green blood or no blood at all. It is the red blood that the BPjM has a problem with.

  • itamae #2 6 years ago

    One slight mistake: the USK can't possibly ban a game because they are not legally entitled to. As Emil has said, it's up to the BPjM to restrict the marketing of certain games or issue bans. Thing is, once the USK's review board has approved of a game (as indicated by their age rating sticker) the BPjM can't touch a game anymore.

    So the whole procedure probably went something like this:
    1. Capcom asked the USK to approve of Dead Rising
    2. The USK reviewed the game and didn't deem it appropriate for minors
    3. Capcom decided not to publish the game in Germany

    See? No ban. Although the outcome is the same of course ;-)

  • Mr_Whacker #3 6 years ago

    You're racist discriminating against treehuggers.

    Quite right too.

  • jepf #4 6 years ago

    It's NOT banned. It's not possible to ban such games in germany. USK didn't give a rating for this game which only(!) means that it COULD be put to "the index" later by BPjM. And that only(!) means that it must not be advertised or sold to people under the age of 18.

    It's solely the publisher's decision to not release the game (or change contents) because of the limited advertising and sales under these circumstances.

    Edited by 2 at 18/07/06 @ 11:24

  • KingOfSpain #5 6 years ago

    Treehuggers are not a race....

  • sickpuppysoftware #6 6 years ago

    As Der_tolle_Emil said the Carmageddon change isn't quite correct.

    In Germany the people were replaced by robots. It was in the UK that the people were turned to zombies. The US (and I assume elsewhere) got the uncensored version.

    Then everybody in the UK downloaded the patch to turn them back into people.

  • Skooch #7 6 years ago

    ...not even if they run competitively whilst hugging?

  • MadMirko #8 6 years ago

    Booh, Eurogamer. Sloppy journalism or just parroting what Joystiq (also falsely) reported?

    No cookie, but I still love you.

  • skillian #9 6 years ago

    But ban sounds so much more juicy...

    There was a similar story recently about Reservoir Dogs being banned. I understand using that word in the headline, but it would be nice for the details to be explained in the body of the article.

  • optimusprym8 #10 6 years ago

    It will still be released, it just won't be advertised or put on shelves. It will reside in the hidden, "18+" section of the counter.

  • tenma #11 6 years ago

    "Similarly, controversial game Carmageddon - in which players must run over enemies to earn points - was approved for sale after human pedestrians were changed to zombies for the German version."

    Surely, doing the opposite - changing Dead Rising's zombies into humans - could work? ;)

  • Universal_Hamster #12 6 years ago

    Better its banned than having the euro version censored, yes?

  • Blerk #13 6 years ago

    Of course, there's absolutely nothing to stop our German chums from importing a copy from a friendly PAL-speaking country.

  • alimokrane #14 6 years ago

    They can always get the game from other PAL countries.

  • NthSimulachum #15 6 years ago

    Poor Krauts...Apparently "GTA IV: Holocaust Denial in Nazi Garb" will also be banned. Can't think why.

    Mind you, having seen the film of the wee german kid playing UT, can you blame the censoring board:)?

  • smelly #16 6 years ago

    This has ALWAYS been the case in germany. In germany, sex = good, violence = bad. (to me this is the "proper way around", unlike those stoopid americunz).

    You cant release a game with red blood/gore in it in germany. But if you wanted mario doing the princess up the shitter in full detail, not a problem.

  • Eldritch #17 6 years ago

    Could the Sun readers please move on to British Supremacy Gamer? This is Eurogamer. Cheers.

  • NthSimulachum #18 6 years ago

    Awww c'mon you gotta love the Germans. Kraut can be a term of endearment. Tis all a matter of context.

  • TripleSeven #19 6 years ago

    Oh please people. Resident Evil 4 has been released in Germany. Uncut; at least the main champaign. Later one Mercenaries and all the goodies were available in the PS2 version (,well in one of them ;) ).

    It's still possible to get all the games like Hitman titles, God of War and so on ...

    The only one banned, I think is Manhunt.

    Try to get to know what you're talking about before you do.


    (This is obviously directed to a minority of the people who posted here, since quite a lot of them are rather well informed.)

  • tenma #20 6 years ago

    Wow, some of the flagrant ethnocentricism in this thread is astounding.

  • Eldritch #21 6 years ago

    "Kraut can be a term of endearment. Tis all a matter of context."

    /coat

  • Eldritch #22 6 years ago

    And thanks for changing the headline, EG! (C:

  • darkbhudda #23 6 years ago

    That's right they didn't *ban* the game.

    It's not Australia after all.

    /pre-orders Saints Row before it gets pulled from the shelves

    Edited by 1 at 18/07/06 @ 13:28

  • peterfll #24 6 years ago

    "no wonder they lost two world wars and one world cup"

    Yeah, like we Brits have a great track record for winning major sporting tournaments, you 1966 freak.

    I don't mind showing a little love for our German cousins.

    Meine Liebe zu Ihnen und zu den deutschen Leuten. xxx

  • Steroyd #25 6 years ago

    Resident Evil 4 has been released in Germany. Uncut; at least the main champaign.

    The german version of RE4 did get cut, the scene where lyon looks at the CCTV monitors and where you see Ashley in the Jail, then one of the possessed zombie dudes switch off the CCTV, apparently it was implying rape and got cut from the game.

    there's other stupid things like that, that got cut from RE4 in Germany.

    what a boring sad place to be a gamer, Australia another place as well.

  • Xerx3s #26 6 years ago

    Here come the tree huggers, calling people racists.

    You're not a racist. You are an effin idiot. Fortunatly, most germans are above your petty thoughts. They should replace you with a zombie.
    Edited by 1 at 18/07/06 @ 13:47

  • Eldritch #27 6 years ago

    Okay, Sofalover, then get your crooked teeth fixed, stop binge-drinking lager from the cornershop, get some cream on your Ibifah sunburn, get some double glazing for your rickety over-priced wooden house with a stamp for a garden and eat some greens for a change (no, tins don't count). Oh, and stop being crap at footie.

    Did I forget any cliches?

    Just taking the mickey, of course. (C:

  • TheBard #28 6 years ago

    Most of the stuff I read about this is just plain wrong!

    Youth protection in Germany works like this: EVERY videogame, thus also covering imports etc., may only be sold to adults. Of course, this isn't what publishers want, so they give a copy of their games to the USK and let them review it. Based on the content of the game, they issue the German ratings, just like it's done with movies etc.

    "Normal" violent content, like a FPS like Prey, typically gets a 18+ rating and may only be sold to adults, but can be displayed in a store or be advertised. Very violent content, like Dead Rising has, obviously, is categorized as "jugendgefährdend", a danger for youths. We all agree that certain games aren't for kids, right? This very violent content doesn't get a rating from the USK. But it isn't banned either! It can still be sold to adults, like any other unrated game.

    BUT!

    Unrated games can be "indiziert" if they are too violent or have other content which is "stark jugendfährdend". If anybody has a problem with the game, they report it to the BPjM, the "Federal Bureau for protecting the Youth", which then tests the game and, if need be, puts the game on the "index". Still, it is NOT banned... it may still be sold to adults, but it's not allowed to be advertised or shown in stores where minors can see it.

    Needless to say, these games don't sell much and this is why publishers refrain from releasing games in Germany when they think they will be indiziert.

    Summa sumarum: Indizierte games aren't BANNED! They may still be sold to adults, but they may not be advertised. There are very few games which really are banned ("beschlagnahmt";) in Germany, the last and most prominent example is Manhunt. Posession is illegal and will be conficated.

    I hope this clears things up.

  • Eldritch #29 6 years ago

    Glad to be of service, mate. (C: And not bad for an island ape either.

  • Dr_Fripp #30 6 years ago

    German Rejects Dead

    ok it's hot outside
    Edited by 1 at 18/07/06 @ 14:30

  • peterfll #31 6 years ago

    Eldritch, you shame us Brits by being able to string a more coherent sentance together in English compared to say - oooh! - Sofalover for example.

  • Eldritch #32 6 years ago

    Awww, cheers, Pete.

    Just trying to make an effort here. (C:

  • Gus #33 6 years ago

    I love the way the EG mods read these comments and changed the article title based on a mild inaccuracy, but didn't think to edit out any of the racist rantings while they were at it! good to see they have their priorities right! :)

  • McGeeza #34 6 years ago

    @TheBard

    Thanks for the explanation. That sounds like a perfectly reasonable system to me.

  • Hmmm #35 6 years ago

    So they'll gas 6 million Jews and slaughter millions of Russian peasants, but having violence depticted in their video games is unacceptable.

    ...

  • TripleSeven #36 6 years ago

    Ridiculous, Hmmm.

    --------------------------

    "The german version of RE4 did get cut, the scene where lyon looks at the CCTV monitors and where you see Ashley in the Jail, then one of the possessed zombie dudes switch off the CCTV, apparently it was implying rape and got cut from the game."

    It's included in every single version. In every single one of the 4 (or is it 5?).

  • skillian #37 6 years ago

    Eg changed the headline? That's why you guys are my favourite gaming site :)

  • Achievements #38 6 years ago

    Well...

    This certainly wouldn't have happened under the Nazis.

  • TripleSeven #39 6 years ago

    Some of you (two or three right now) might think about colonial wars, civil wars and who actually killed all that indians down in America.
    The British. Does that ring a bell? I guess two or three (of that afore mentioned two or three) people might have forgotten that English people once travelled to America (by ship; there's alot of water; yes they could swim but it's been really a lot of lot of water; no they had no plains back then, no the Germans didn't either) - and these few got rid of quite a lot of indians.
    I'm not going to continue with colonial and civil wars or how things are in France and the Netherlands' or how great it's going for New Orleans (which is in the USA - the country with all that Indians and Columbus and stuff - for the two or three people I'm talking to here).
    And no neither am I going to talk about Iraq.

    We all should be very aware of the past, the present and as far as possible of future trends. Hatred, ignorance and stupidity are very, very dangerous though.

    So in conclusion get up to a normal level of intelligence (if that's actually possible) and knowledge and please shut up as long as you haven't reached that.

    Once again - I'm talking to a minority here, so all the others please don't feel offended.

    Cheers.
    Edited by 1 at 18/07/06 @ 23:41

  • NegativeZero #40 6 years ago

    "Dead Rising sees players taking on the role of photographer Frank West"

    Any relation to Herbert?

  • kangarootoo #41 6 years ago

    @Sofalover

    The millions you purport to represent weren't defeating "the germans", they were defeating nazis. But from what you wrote, I think they missed one.

  • bladeaku #42 6 years ago

    Germany is weird its ok to show hard core porn at dinner time yet anything that has a drop of blood in it is given the ban stamp.

  • peterfll #43 6 years ago

    @bladeaku - and that's a bad thing?

    Look at the opposite end of the spectrum - the US. So prudish that showing clevage on TV is going to get you a fine, yet they have the highest rate of gun related crime in the West. Go figure.

  • NthSimulachum #44 6 years ago

    Well...Nur die guten sterben jung.

  • peterfll #45 6 years ago

    Actually you're wrong sofalover. Fair enough, in the company of like-minded people who understand your wit and humour, you can make jokes as you like in the context you're describing. On here, you don't know many - or any of us - intimately, and you can't just make blasey comments in the way that you did and then go on the defence saying- you only meant it in an amusing fashion - and it's the rest of us clearly who are too PC or laking a sense of humour.
    Edited by 1 at 19/07/06 @ 13:17

  • TripleSeven #46 6 years ago

    What's bad about sex? What's bad about violence? Well, sex sounds good; violence not so much.

    Hardcore porn? Lol. Check around the net. Is all that hardcore porn German? Nope, mostly American.
    And no, there's no hardcore porn available on (standard) TV. On Pay TV, yes. But that's hardly news to anybody or different in any western country.

  • kangarootoo #47 6 years ago

    @Sofalover

    "What is it with the Hun? Bunch of pussies, no wonder they lost two world wars and one world cup."

    That was your original post, just to refresh our context here.

    "others who get the joke and are not offended"

    And who are they exactly? I assume you conducted a straw poll before jumping in with both feet. I mean, you must have, otherwise you would just end up looking kind of foolish levelling accusations at me such as "if you don't understand what's going on". I understand perfectly well what is "going on", the difference being that you think it is OK and I don't.

    "You are like the well meaning but misguided fool who takes offence on the behalf of others"

    For the record, you offend me personally, I'm not flying anyone elses flag in that regard.

    Also, just for balance, I wasn't genuinely accusing you of being a fully paid up nazi. That was just a flippant remark at your casual racism (which is what it was, using your original post as an example).

  • Krun #48 6 years ago

    Great news for companies selling this by mail order.

  • Krun #49 6 years ago

    @sofalover

    No offense (this means I'm about to be offensive by the way, its what people say before they say offencive things.)

    Some generic insult about one of your family members, probably implying some abnormal adult practises maybe with an animal or yourself. Possibly adding something about your lack of friends. and then to top it off

    I'd be a yogurt hugging tree knitting hippy people actually liked over someone who makes my country look bad. I'm English from England, and your a yob from Ingeerlaaand. You disgust me and your hate filled bigotry is like a sickness that spreads from moron to moron.

    Only joking! (and this is what people say after they have been offencive)

    Cant you take a joke? (this is to rub it in with a second attack, blaming you not being a good victim.)
    Edited by 1 at 21/07/06 @ 04:14