[Hoax] DOOM 2 might become censored worldwide because of German laws

[Protoblob]

NOTE: As of 24 July 2015, there is no indication that there ever was a credible source for that forum post I used as a source, so this is marked as a hoax now.

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I read in a German anti-censorship group that DOOM 2 will be censored worldwide because some German "anti" nazi law does not like to see swastikas being used. So the both secret levels (currently still ingame, accessed them with IDCLEV31 and IDCLEV32) will be removed worldwide, because DOOM 2 is sold in Germany since yesterday.

So you better make a copy of the DOOM 2 directory before censorship sets in!

Or with some luck this applies only to newly sold copies, who knows. I'll make a copy, however. Not trusting Bethesda is sane.


Source:
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/foruncut#announcements/detail/260398403294083477


EDIT: The game is still uncensored. Maybe the For Uncut group has raised a false alarm?

EDIT2: As of 24 July 2015, I mark this as hoax since there is no evidence apart from that one posting that turned out to be wrong that this ever was planned.

[Meturoido]

HA!!! This is quite the joke, I came here to find out if it was censored in any way, just to find this, ah well, the joke is on them.

[Orffy]

This is just disgusting. Also it's not an "anti nazi" law. Symbols of some communist organizations are also forbidden e.g.
It's a special law that prohibits symbols of unconstitutional organizations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strafgesetzbuch_section_86a

As well this law does not allow obvious substitute organizations (like "The Regime" in the german version of the newest Wolfenstein). But nobody cares. It's random. If the symbol appears in some kind of art (the judges must agree that the medium is considered as art), it is allowed, so films like "Indiana Jones" or "Iron Sky" are no problem, although there are nazis.
Also a game with nazis can be considered as ok by a judge, but the few judges who banned games with nazis have shocked some publishers, so they don't want to risk anything.

This special law is unnecessary and misunderstood by some judges. It is unnecessary, because there are other laws that prohibit seditions. Also there are laws against frightening people. Germany should be ashamed of such a law, that promotes abuse.

[Hekksy]

Future releases will probably be censored, using what was already censored in Doom 3 BFG. However DOS releases (like that of the Steam version) will probably not get censored. Also, patches to undo the censoring in Doom 3 BFG already exist.

[Unconditional Love]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Protoss:

I read in a German anti-censorship group that DOOM 2 will be censored worldwide because some German "anti" nazi law does not like to see swastikas being used. So the both secret levels (currently still ingame, accessed them with IDCLEV31 and IDCLEV32) will be removed worldwide, because DOOM 2 is sold in Germany since yesterday.

So you better make a copy of the DOOM 2 directory before censorship sets in!

Or with some luck this applies only to newly sold copies, who knows. I'll make a copy, however. Not trusting Bethesda is sane.


Source:
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/foruncut#announcements/detail/260398403294083477

no only in their country if they really even tried that

[Unconditional Love]

they cannot tell the world what they can and cannot do americans will not stand for that

[Orffy]

Opprinnelig skrevet av ryankolz:

they cannot tell the world what they can and cannot do americans will not stand for that

Publishers are censoring the games, because they are afraid and do not want to fight. It seems easier for them to have one version and not many to care about so they censor a game for everybody sometimes.

[Meturoido]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Orffyreus:

Opprinnelig skrevet av ryankolz:

they cannot tell the world what they can and cannot do americans will not stand for that

Publishers are censoring the games, because they are afraid and do not want to fight. It seems easier for them to have one version and not many to care about so they censor a game for everybody sometimes.

The entire thing is stupid, censorship for everybody?? Why the ♥♥♥♥ do we non Germans have to stand for that?? Heck, why the ♥♥♥♥ do Germans have to stand for that?

In this particular case, it is ten times more stupid, what is the purpose of censoring something that is basically public domain already??

Zenimax is no longer in touch with reality.

[Pantheon]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Ōkami:

Heck, why the ♥♥♥♥ do Germans have to stand for that?

Trust me, we don't know.

[Unconditional Love]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Pantheon:

Opprinnelig skrevet av Ōkami:

Heck, why the ♥♥♥♥ do Germans have to stand for that?

Trust me, we don't know.

because they do not have the freedom of america to do whatever they want

[Unconditional Love]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Orffyreus:

Opprinnelig skrevet av ryankolz:

they cannot tell the world what they can and cannot do americans will not stand for that

Publishers are censoring the games, because they are afraid and do not want to fight. It seems easier for them to have one version and not many to care about so they censor a game for everybody sometimes.

and no they dont care dude do your research

[Pantheon]

Opprinnelig skrevet av ryankolz:

Opprinnelig skrevet av Pantheon:

Trust me, we don't know.

because they do not have the freedom of america to do whatever they want

If only Bethesda was Americ- oh wait, they are.

[Orffy]

Opprinnelig skrevet av ryankolz:

Opprinnelig skrevet av Pantheon:

Trust me, we don't know.

because they do not have the freedom of america to do whatever they want

There were games with naked breasts that publishers censored for america but not for germany. One example is "Giants: Citizen Kabuto":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giants:_Citizen_Kabuto
Near the release of the United States (US) Windows version of the game, Planet Moon failed to obtain a "Teen" rating from the ESRB despite changing the original red blood to green and covering Delphi's toplessness with a bikini top. They made the changes to broaden retail opportunities because many large retailers in the US refused to sell "Mature"-rated games;

[Orffy]

Opprinnelig skrevet av ryankolz:

and no they dont care dude do your research

I would appreciate it, if they didn't care. According to steamdb the game has the same app id in germany: http://steamdb.info/app/2300/

[Oh Hey Bro]

Don't the fools realise that you're the one killing the Nazis? It's not like the aim of the game is to hoist up Swastika flags lol.

Stupid.

[Protoblob]

It all goes back to some court decision in the early 1990s where computer games were ruled to not be art. A lot has changed since then, and IMO at least with Final Fantasy 7 they have become mature. There are games that can't even be called games in a classical sense, they ARE art by all definitions of art, but the difficulty is to have that apply to all games.

Sadly there never was such a trial again in Germany, although chances are IMO high to win it. Rather the publishers save their money - doing such a legal battle could take years that you lose out on sales - and publish censored versions.

For that reason Indiana Jones - in RL Germany - can kill nazis in the third movie, but not in the video game of it (yes, that adventure game was censored too!).

It takes only the courage of a single man to change this. And a lot of money.