National Banhammer – German Ministers propose total ban for violent games

In an effort to make their nation violent videogame-free, 16 German Interior Ministers have moved to ask the Bundestag (the equivalent of parliament in Germany) for a total ban on violent video games. If approved, this won’t be just your average banhammer – this is a national banhammer that even goes as far as prohibiting violent game development in the country.

In an effort to make their nation violent videogame-free, 16 German Interior Ministers have moved to ask the Bundestag (the equivalent of parliament in Germany) for a total ban on violent video games.

If approved, this won’t be just your average banhammer – this is a national banhammer that even goes as far as prohibiting violent game development in the country.

The ministers are planning to get this over and done with before the German elections on September 27th. With the school shootings, like the one in Winnenden back in March, and other acts of violence linked to the playing of violent video games, this bill may have a better chance of success than the one in California and Jack Thompson‘s attempt in Utah and his letter to Obama.

If indeed this national banhammer is successfully whipped out, gamers would not only say goodbye to their daily dose of gaming brutality. German game developers such as Crytek will have to outsource or even relocate operations to another country, because under this law, even the development of violent games will be banninated.

• Bavarian Interior Minister says violent video games on same level as child porn and illegal drugs
• New Zealand has its own Jack Thompson, wants parents prosecuted for buying restricted games for their underage kids
  

Via Spiegel Online