Regular there are popular, sometimes commercially also very successful games, which are the focus of a critical discussion about possible harmful content for minors in digital games. These games are often used as examples for the negative impact of the gaming industry, such as in the case of Dead Rising 3 the gross depiction of violent executions or in The Binding of Isaac the debate about controversial religious content. This speech will therefore discuss in general the logic of the various classification processes of the dominant rating systems (like ESRB, PEGI or CERO), their underlying cultural norms and values and in particular the specifics of the German system (represented by the USK, BPjM and FSM) like the banning of games which contains swastikas or extreme violence. Intended audience & prerequisites: Game Designer & producer. Session takeaways: - The important role of game rating (costs & values) - Knowledge of the underlying different cultural norms and values - Deeper understanding of the rating systems...

1. “The Dead is Rising Again!”
or
Some Specifics of the
German Rating System
Markus Wiemker
MHMK Stuttgart
VIDEO GAMES WEEK
markus@wiemker.org
GAME CONNECTION EUROPE 2014
www.wiemker.org
29. – 31. October 2014, PARIS EXPO
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2. Contents
Censorship & Rating Systems
Regulation Goals
Video Game Censorship
Kinds of Censorship
Worldwide Rating Systems
Rating in Praxis
Violence
Sex
Religion
National Sensitivities
Outlook
Future Trends
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3. Censorship & Rating Systems
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4. Regulation Goals
For Youth Protection
To provide information to restrict the access
to harmful content
For Game Designer
To get knowledge about the relevant parts of
the law
To develop a feeling which norms and
cultural values are important for game
ratings
Learn how to modify or cut out content to get
a “better” rating or to avoid a selling ban
To wage between economic & creative costs
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5. Video Game Censorship
Video game censorship is defined as use of state or industry power to control the
playing, distribution, purchase, or sale of digital games based on an evaluation of
the game's content. Digital games have been the subject of controversy and
censorship, due to the depiction of graphic violence, sexual themes, consumption
of legal and illegal drugs, criminal behavior, the discrimination of groups (e.g.
because of their religious beliefs), national sensitivities or profane language for a
long time. These regulation systems try to protect the youth through the
restriction of access to harmful content by the cutting or modifying of content
and in some cases even by the banning of games (cf. Wikipedia “Video Game
Controversy”).
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6. Kinds of Censorship
Different Kinds of Censorship, Regulation and Classification
1.Pre-, post- and self-censorship
2.Private-regulated and state-controlled
classification agencies
3.Rating systems that are voluntarily, mandatory or
legally binding under certain conditions
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7. Worldwide Rating Systems
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8. Rating in Praxis
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9. Violence: Dead Rising 3
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10. Violence: Dead Rising 3
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11. Sex: “Princess Robot Bubblegum“
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12. Religion: The Binding of Isaac
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13. Religion: The Binding of Isaac
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14. National Sensitivities: South Park
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15. National Sensitivities: South Park
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16. Outlook
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17. Future Trends
New and current challenges for game regulation/developers &
publishers
1. the handling of mobile, online and user generated
content
2. the evaluation of the potential of games to cause
addictive play behaviour
3. the necessity to take into account different forms of
play, like a multitude of play and interpretation
practices or the significance of contexts that frame
the game play experience
4. Monetization models in Free2Play games (e.g. item
selling)
5. Data protection/user rights
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