So a quick rundown about that: Germany has strict laws when it comes to nazi symbolism and their glorification. It's strictly forbidden to show or present these symbols. There are a few exceptions though: It's allowed in a historical context (museums, documentaries, etc..) and in art (books, movies...). Everything else could land on a list of banned media or you could get sued for showing those symbols, if it's not in these contexts. Video Games weren't considered art up until 2018, when our ratings board, the usk, updated their policies. From now on, you could submit games with nazi symbolism and be rated by the board. (If it's not glorifying nazis). Many developers and publisher reacted by changing those symbols to something that was legal at that time in their games so that they could be sold. If they want to publish the original version, they basically have to apply for an evaluation of the original game. So technically, in most cases, they submit their original game for the first time, as RTCW did now.
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24 years. Fuck, I'm old
Isn’t that one of the new games? I mean it’s called “Return”! I remember when Wolfenstein was 2D sprites and paper thin walls.
It’s the first modern 3D game in the series (Quake 3 engine). The one before that being the shooter that predates Doom.
Oh, I played the original, too
And also everyone's favorite windows screensaver
I loved this game. Still remember my CD key, which is impressive because I can't remember shit.
The multiplayer was excellent.
What changed that they can release it now?
While Germany relaxed its gaming rules in 2018, allowing modern entries like The New Order to go uncut in 2019, Grey Matter’s 2001 classic remained stuck in censorship limbo until now.
I guess the laws did
Their interpretation did. Games now classify as art and fall under the art-related exception from censorship.
And they still cannot glorify nazi symbolism. That'll still get you banned.
Yeah. What this lawsuit in effect did is say "Games can fall under art and education. Publishers shouldn't think just including a swastika in a game is illegal, because it isn't. Just as a movie can include it, a game can as well."
Of course, it still needs to not glorify nacism deliberately or inadvertantly. But it's sad that it took this long for this non-question "legal question" to have been finally asked in court, and answered with the most expected answer - and dare I say it - one more expected of past decades than this one.
My guess is that videogames are mainstream enough now to fall into the art exception.
A bit simplified: Games that cannot be sold in Germany automatically get removed from "the list" after 25 years. Or, before that, the rights holder can submit a request for reevaluation.