Wolfenstein: The New Order Will Be "Geo-Locked" To Conform With German Law - Polidicks

[QUOTE]It's no secret that Germany has some rather strict laws regulating the display of Nazi symbols, with penalties for those who violate them ranging from hefty fines to prison time. You can see how that would be a problem for the Wolfenstein franchise, which is all about fighting Nazis, because the fact that they're the bad guys carries no weight in the eyes of German authorities. It's no surprise, then, that the German version of the game will be about "The Regime" rather than Nazis, as Bethesda's Pete Hines explained last month, and that all Nazi-related content has been stripped from that edition of the game. But today, the publisher announced that it's going even farther to protect itself by taking steps to keep the international version of The New Order - which is to say, the one with all the Nazi stuff - out of the country. "In order to prevent any digital copies of the international version from being sold, exported, imported or distributed into Germany, PC versions will be geo-locked so that they cannot be activated within Germany," the publisher announced today. "On the basis of legal advice and industry standard practice, we are also not making the international version available for sale in Austria." The German-language version of Wolfenstein: The New Order will be available in other parts of the world for those who want it, although Bethesda noted that the changes relate to "Nazi content only," and that "although there are some legally required differences, the levels of violence and action remain the same as in the international version."[/QUOTE] [URL="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134245-Wolfenstein-The-New-Order-Will-Be-Geo-Locked-To-Conform-With-German-Law"]http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134245-Wolfenstein-The-New-Order-Will-Be-Geo-Locked-To-Conform-With-German-Law[/URL]

What is germany afraid of will happen anyway? Someone sees the swastika and they suddenly want to become a nazi? or that the display of the swastika will cause the neo-nazis to get a morale boost and suddenly start an uprising to turn germany back into nazi germany?

I guess Germans will have to pirate the game then.

I understand it, but I don't. It's no secret but yet... it is? Isn't it better to remind people not to repeat the past?

These dumb laws are the reason why I would choose to move to Sweden when I'm older rather than Germany.

[QUOTE=Fatfatfatty;44732381]What is germany afraid of will happen anyway? Someone sees the swastika and they suddenly want to become a nazi? or that the display of the swastika will cause the neo-nazis to get a morale boost and suddenly start an uprising to turn germany back into nazi germany?[/QUOTE] Not being allowed to display Nazi symbols is not merely limited to Germany; The majority of European countries have explicity forbid the displaying and showing of such symbols; also including nordic runes, the black sun and so forth. Though, I believe Germany is the only country to take it as far, as to not allow humans being killed in video games, if they still disallow that.

that's kinda fascist of them.

Wahhh a historical symbol in an obviously farcial game is offending me, ban it throughout the country. Germany has some of the worst censorship I know of.

[QUOTE=The fox;44732396]Not being allowed to display Nazi symbols are not merely limited to Germany; The majority of European countries have explicity forbid the displaying and showing of such symbols; also including nordic runes, the black sun and so forth. Though, I believe Germany is the only country to take it as far, as to not allow humans being killed in video games, if they still allow that.[/QUOTE] Nordic runes? What are you smoking?

You have to admit though Nazi Germany did have some fantastic looking uniforms, no wonder they were so hated, past all that genocide and stuff. "Wow, why couldn't Allied uniforms looked that fucking dapper." Not related to the game I know, but I guess the majority of germans who want the full shit will probably torrent an international version.

[QUOTE=The golden;44732404]Before anyone starts to blame this on Germany - this action is being taken by the publisher. And I also hope the publisher realizes the amount of piracy this is going to cause.[/QUOTE] Of course the publisher is the one who did it, because otherwise Germany would ban the whole game.

[QUOTE=Fatfatfatty;44732402]Nordic runes? What are you smoking?[/QUOTE] The SS used quite a bit of them, as did the Legion Nord and Wiking; These symbols are still banned in Germany as they are pro-Nazi and are not allowed to be displayed at all. Fairly certain they also fall in under the Hate laws that exist in plenty of other European countries. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_insignia_of_the_Schutzstaffel[/url]

[QUOTE=The fox;44732422]The SS used quite a bit of them, as did the Legion Nord and Wiking; These symbols are still banned in Germany as they are pro-Nazi and are not allowed to be displayed at all. Fairly certain they also fall in under the Hate laws that exist in plenty of other European countries.[/QUOTE] That's the strangest thing I've ever heard, i have never assosciated runes with nazis. First they take our land, and then they try to take our gods. Skyrim belongs to the nords!

[QUOTE=Fatfatfatty;44732381]What is germany afraid of will happen anyway? Someone sees the swastika and they suddenly want to become a nazi? or that the display of the swastika will cause the neo-nazis to get a morale boost and suddenly start an uprising to turn germany back into nazi germany?[/QUOTE] Sleeper nazi with latent nazi genes, you heard it here first

The difference between German censorship and censorship in other European countries is context. In the UK, at least, I'm pretty sure it's legal to depict Nazi stuff as long as it's in a historical context. Using it for Neo-Nazi political groups, though... it's more murky. In Germany it just seems to be illegal outright.

[QUOTE=Explosions;44732400]Germany has some of the worst censorship I know of.[/QUOTE] And I thought my censorship here in oz was the worst.

[QUOTE=The golden;44732404]Before anyone starts to blame this on Germany - this action is being taken by the publisher. And I also hope the publisher realizes the amount of piracy this is going to cause.[/QUOTE] The publisher did it because otherwise the game would be banned, just like the original Wolfenstein.

[QUOTE=Jamsponge;44732440]The difference between German censorship and censorship in other European countries is context. In the UK, at least, I'm pretty sure it's legal to depict Nazi stuff as long as it's in a historical context. Using it for Neo-Nazi political groups, though... it's more murky. In Germany it just seems to be illegal outright.[/QUOTE] I believe you can't go around denying they didn't do anything though, or you'll be arrested, but owning any of their stuff is fine.

[QUOTE=Jamsponge;44732440]The difference between German censorship and censorship in other European countries is context. In the UK, at least, I'm pretty sure it's legal to depict Nazi stuff as long as it's in a historical context. Using it for Neo-Nazi political groups, though... it's more murky. In Germany it just seems to be illegal outright.[/QUOTE] In Germany, it is only legal to show such images, so long as they are used for education and suchlike. As far as I know, it is about the same in every European country, save for some states which were under Soviet influence, ironically enough. [QUOTE=Thomo_UK;44732461]I believe you can't go around denying they didn't do anything though, or you'll be arrested, but owning any of their stuff is fine.[/QUOTE] As far as it is over here; You cannot display, Express any opinion or suchlike, or display any Nazi symbols in the public, as this will fall under hate crimes here. Though, it is quite legal to own militaria from that area, displaying such insignias or words, in private markets or in the comfort of your home; At least as far as I know, given how many militaria markets are around here. Though, you are not allowed to show any of it in public.

I became a ultranationalist at the age of 10 after playing Medal of Honor: Frontlines.

On one hand, the violence was [i]not[/i] censored for once, so those who really don't care about whether it's Nazis or 'the Regime' shouldn't be too bothered. On the other hand, taking such extreme measures of 'geo-locking' to prevent people from having anything Nazi-related in their game copies, even via import, is fucking ridiculous and going overboard. I understand they utterly loathe Nazi Germany as their past and try to disassociate themselves from it by any means, but it's just ludicrously blown out by this point.

[QUOTE=The golden;44732460]It probably will get worse with Abbot at the helm.[/QUOTE] Yeah, good thing haven't voted for him last election.

geo-lock? Since when did that stop people from playing games? Sure Germany has to put its shit together, but i don't know what's all the rage about. I'm pretty sure i have a couple games or more on steam that are geo-locked here. You just have to ask someone else to buy it for you and trade/gift it.

But aren't you [I]shooting[/I] Nazis??

[QUOTE=Fatfatfatty;44732381]What is germany afraid of will happen anyway? Someone sees the swastika and they suddenly want to become a nazi? or that the display of the swastika will cause the neo-nazis to get a morale boost and suddenly start an uprising to turn germany back into nazi germany?[/QUOTE] I saw the swastikas in the game suddenly I realized the true meaning of nazism and understood that hitler was a good guy after all! now I'm killing jews in my basement [QUOTE=Fatfatfatty;44732402]Nordic runes? What are you smoking?[/QUOTE] [t]http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120904171836/elderscrolls/images/8/84/Mead.png[/t] drinking more like

[QUOTE=Fatfatfatty;44732381]What is germany afraid of will happen anyway? Someone sees the swastika and they suddenly want to become a nazi? or that the display of the swastika will cause the neo-nazis to get a morale boost and suddenly start an uprising to turn germany back into nazi germany?[/QUOTE] All Germans are actually Manchurian Candidates that will start clicking their heels and invading Poland if they even see a swastika. The German government is just trying to protect its people.

All it took was one look at the trailer and I've been goose-stepping everywhere I go. Heil Hitler

[QUOTE=Ericson666;44732586]But aren't you [I]shooting[/I] Nazis??[/QUOTE] As someone said, they don't mind nazi imagery if it's educative or artful and not positive towards them. They don't consider video games art, so under their legal standards, even a single swastika not related to Nazis would make them flip out and censor it somehow.

[quote]It's no surprise, then, that the German version of the game will be about "The Regime" rather than Nazis[/quote] ...seriously?

You know what you guys are forgetting? They decided to ban swastikas in games because of one game that came out in 1981. It's called Wolfenstein. Since then games are not considered "art" and therefore no nazi symbolism is allowed.