Government snubs Crysis 2 at German Computergames Awards
"So called killer games must not be honoured."
German governing party Christlich-demokratische Union (CDU) has publicly protested against Crysis 2 being nominated for - and eventually winning - the German Computergames Award for Best German Game.
Quite a coup for Crysis 2, given that half of the Deutscher Computerspielepreis jury is determined by that same government. The other half is determined by the German developer federation G.A.M.E., and the German publisher federation BIU.
"The parliamentary faction of the CDU/CSU disassociates itself from the decision of the independent jury to nominate a so-called killer-game in the category Best German Game," said CDU/CSU parliamentary speaker Wolfgang Börnsen in an official statement, via the German edition of GamesIndustry International.
"We regard this nomination as unjustifiable.
"We demand a fundamental new conception, a clear recollection to the cultural and educational value of a computer game.
"So called killer games must not be honoured, even if they are technically outstanding."
The publisher federation BIU riposted:
"The host cannot accept that the independent jury is damaged. The jury has decided over the nominees for the category Best German Game on the base of the criteria of the Deutscher Computerspielepreis. The opening of the category [to 18+ titles] was expressly agreed with culture minister of state Bernd Neumann [the host for the Deutscher Computerspielepreis]. A jury deciding on this basis can't be left alone."
The CDU hasn't yet responded to Crysis 2 winning the award. But culture minister for state, Bernd Neumann, has.
"In the light of one decision of the jury, it makes sense to think about if games should be honoured which are only suitable for grown-ups, because a game not suitable for teenagers because of the violence cannot be of cultural or educational value."
Wolfgang Börnsen has apparently demanded another independent jury for next time.
Germany is a country famous in the video game industry for imposing strict restrictions on the sale of violent video games, with publishers sometimes forced to cut content to secure a rating and release.