German Game Developers Blast Retailer's Decision to Drop 18+ Games
German Game Developers Blast Retailer's Decision to Drop 18+ Games
March 20, 2009
As GamePolitics reported yesterday, German retailer Galeria Kaufhof is dropping 18+ video games and movies from its inventory in the wake of last week's horrific school shooting.
Reuters has reaction to the move from Stephan Reichart, who heads G.A.M.E., a trade association which represents German game developers:
I think (Kaufhof's decision) is a complete overreaction... it borders on impulsive hysteria. It would be sufficient if retailers made sure their cashiers don't sell this material to young people.
Since 17-year-old Tim Kretschmer's rampage, reports have emerged indicating that he played the first-person shooters Counter-strike and Far Cry 2.
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Posted 03/19/10 at 06:42pm
Valdearg: Sage advice, Zip. Sage advice.
Valdearg: Sage advice, Zip. Sage advice.
Posted 03/19/10 at 06:37pm
ZippyDSMlee: Don;t talk to MS/LIve users that you do not know....is jsut easier that way...
ZippyDSMlee: Don;t talk to MS/LIve users that you do not know....is jsut easier that way...
Posted 03/19/10 at 06:14pm
Flamespeak: Didm't steal anything or other people not knowing what the heck Tribes was but felt inclined to tell me it wasn't Halo.
Flamespeak: Didm't steal anything or other people not knowing what the heck Tribes was but felt inclined to tell me it wasn't Halo.
Posted 03/19/10 at 06:13pm
Flamespeak: stealing 'new' game ideas from Tribes while marketing them as something 'new and shiny'." I was blasted by people claiming Halo
Flamespeak: stealing 'new' game ideas from Tribes while marketing them as something 'new and shiny'." I was blasted by people claiming Halo
Posted 03/19/10 at 06:12pm
Flamespeak: I told some Halo fans that 'with the inclusion of jet packs in Reach, Halo has successfully completed its mission of totally
Flamespeak: I told some Halo fans that 'with the inclusion of jet packs in Reach, Halo has successfully completed its mission of totally
Posted 03/19/10 at 05:39pm
Valdearg: @JDKJ: Well, it's not like you were very subtle, there..
Valdearg: @JDKJ: Well, it's not like you were very subtle, there..
Posted 03/19/10 at 05:18pm
JDKJ: @Val": You got me there. That one was pure troll. And posted in memory of DarkSaber, who hasn't been around much, lately.
JDKJ: @Val": You got me there. That one was pure troll. And posted in memory of DarkSaber, who hasn't been around much, lately.
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:36pm
Andrew Eisen: JDKJ - Probably the widow/widower.
Andrew Eisen: JDKJ - Probably the widow/widower.
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:33pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:who gives a shit about you :P
ZippyDSMlee: JD:who gives a shit about you :P
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:33pm
Valdearg: Lol.. Wow, JDKJ. Troll much?
Valdearg: Lol.. Wow, JDKJ. Troll much?
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:27pm
JDKJ: Who gives a rat's ass about the children of fallen soldiers?
JDKJ: Who gives a rat's ass about the children of fallen soldiers?
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:16pm
Andrew Eisen: I completely agree.
Andrew Eisen: I completely agree.
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:15pm
Valdearg: If they really wanted to help the troops, they should donate their money to a legitimate charity with a good cash in/out ratio.
Valdearg: If they really wanted to help the troops, they should donate their money to a legitimate charity with a good cash in/out ratio.
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:14pm
Valdearg: It's just offensive that people who attend these things think they are helping the troops, when in reality, Hannity is using MOST of the money to live large in the cities he travels to. He could at least scale down his accommodations..
Valdearg: It's just offensive that people who attend these things think they are helping the troops, when in reality, Hannity is using MOST of the money to live large in the cities he travels to. He could at least scale down his accommodations..
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:13pm
Andrew Eisen: Val - But they did get something and that's better than nothing. Also, the Freedom Concert site is clear that expenses are subtracted from the donated amount so while it’s not fraud (from what little I’ve seen) it is pretty crummy.
Andrew Eisen: Val - But they did get something and that's better than nothing. Also, the Freedom Concert site is clear that expenses are subtracted from the donated amount so while it’s not fraud (from what little I’ve seen) it is pretty crummy.
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:12pm
ZippyDSMlee: fou fundrasier, from a fou consertive, who would have thought :P.
ZippyDSMlee: fou fundrasier, from a fou consertive, who would have thought :P.
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:11pm
Valdearg: The problem, Zip, is that barely ANY of the proceeds are going to the children. It's all going so hannity can line his own pockets and enjoy a life of luxury. He is a grade A Piece of Human Crap.
Valdearg: The problem, Zip, is that barely ANY of the proceeds are going to the children. It's all going so hannity can line his own pockets and enjoy a life of luxury. He is a grade A Piece of Human Crap.
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:09pm
ZippyDSMlee: Hanaity cn afford to pay for it himself so all proceeds go to the childernz or whatever. .....
ZippyDSMlee: Hanaity cn afford to pay for it himself so all proceeds go to the childernz or whatever. .....
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:09pm
ZippyDSMlee: But anyway you want to pad your rep with a funrasier get 80% to the people its suppose to go to....
ZippyDSMlee: But anyway you want to pad your rep with a funrasier get 80% to the people its suppose to go to....
Posted 03/19/10 at 02:03pm
ZippyDSMlee: VLag:thats ture but alot of cop and fireman and other thigns are under 10% to what they give to what they are raising money for
ZippyDSMlee: VLag:thats ture but alot of cop and fireman and other thigns are under 10% to what they give to what they are raising money for
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Comments
" It would be sufficient if retailers made sure their cashiers don't sell this material to young people." Agreed. If they havent sold their games to minors, nothing is gonna change. But whatever, there is no Galeria in my city anyway. I'll just contiue to shop from amazon.co.uk. I think as soon as politicians realize that many gamers are adults that can vote and are economically relevant, they'll stop f***ing with us.
Does it really matter that you can't buy them in stores, can't you still get them on Steam?
---You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.
Depends how Steam run their business- I believe Doom is unavailable over XBLA in Germany, indicating MS are willing to bend over to individual countries, maybe Valve are the same.
/b
Ok, anyone in Germany willing to point out if you can still get Farcry 2 and Counterstrike on Steam?
---You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.
Maybe I'm not reading this right, but this is just one store not selling them. So you don't even need to use steam, just head in to Game.
This is one store attempting to earn brownie points from "worried parents" (who apparently are not worried enough to enable the age restrictions on a console or monitor what little Jimmy does).
-- Add a marker to the start of your signature.
And here in lies the problem. Parents don't believe that it's their job to make sure everything their kids do is appropriate, they believe it's the government's job.
---You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.
Not all parents - just bad ones.
My main point however is in this case it is not the government, it is one or two shops. The one in question here has virtual no real estate dedicated to games anyway.
--
A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. Benjamin Franklin
I know it's stupid, but we do have to remember that blaming games gives people comfort. The idea that some wackjob can just randomly go on a killing spree is scary. The idea that that wackob was created in some way makes people feel better. If their actions are provoked by something, then you can prevent it from happening again by banning whatever was the cause. It gives weak people control over the uncontrolable.
Unfortunately for them, games aren't at fault. So removing violent games from stores isn't going to do anything except make the scared people feel like they did something, until the next rampage.
*nods* Understanding that people derive comfort from this blame game is critical to fighting it.
It was also revealed that Tim Kretschmer ate breakfast cereal.
EVERY SINGLE MORNING.
In fact, an autopsy has shown that Kretschmer had Fruit Loops the very morning of his shooting rampage. In light of this, grocery stores have decided to stop discontinue cereal sales.
Andrew Eisen
Now, if the game industry really wanted to stand up for it'self, it would blacklist these retailers and either:
(a) no longer sell them mature games in the future, so when the backlash wears off they pay a price for participating.
or
(b) no longer sell any games to these retailers. reward retailers who didn't behave this way with merchandice to sell and punish retailers who did by taking away thier products.
The game industry has increadable economic muscles that it never seems to want to flex.
Knee jerk reaction much Germany? Better go check the yard for your baby.... you threw it out with the bath water.
hahah thats so funny ..... go man hit it hard
Last time an issue was made of 18+ games at these stores and how they no longer carried them, I walked over to check and found them all still for sale. Sometimes what they do is they pull them for a couple weekes and then put them back out after the media furry ends.
I wonder if this is not the case now...
~Weatherlight~