Kind of a big deal.
So, you might be familiar with the fact that Germany generally bans or requires censorship of media that features those wacky Nazis. Which mostly means that, unless you’re doing a serious period piece or drama that sticks close to historical fact, you can’t just dump Nazis into the mix for shiggles. And as such, pretty much every Wolfenstein game has had to censor out the armbands and references, since they’re a kind of pulpy take on everything. Well, for the first time ever, thanks to a change in Germany’s USK rating board, that won’t be the case for a Wolfenstein game.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood will be the first in the series to release in Germany without censorship. Bethesda first made the announcement on their German forum, but then later confirmed that the international version would be released as is in English. One interesting tidbit is that they had been developing a censored version specifically for Germany in tandem with the international version; both versions will be released in Germany.
The change in Germany’s laws mostly came about as the view that Games as an artform gained acceptance.
Many games produced by creative, dedicated developers address sensitive topics such as the Nazi era in Germany, and they do so in a responsible way that encourages reflection and critical thinking. The interactive nature of games makes them uniquely qualified to spark contemplation and debate, and they reach younger generations like no other medium can.
German Games Industry Association, on last year’s changes
Wolfenstein: Youngblood releases July 26th this year.
Source: PC Gamer
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