No Gears of War in Germany

Gears of War will not be released in Germany after USK, the German ratings board, declined to rate the game.

It's the same thing that happened to Dead Rising earlier this year, you may remember, and means that German gamers are now bang out of luck when it comes to two of Xbox 360's biggest titles of the year.

The platform holder, for its part, told our sister site Eurogamer.de that it accepted the USK's decision and would not publish the game in the region.

That's because it feels that the changes it would need to make to satisfy the requirements for a rating would rob the game of a lot of important features, and make it difficult to guarantee compatibility with other international versions on Xbox Live.

Gears of War is due out over here on 17th November.

Update: Microsoft UK has issued the following statement clarifying the situation regarding Gears of War's status in Germany, where the USK has declined to rate the title.

"I can confirm that 'Gears of War' (MGS) will not be published in Germany, or be available for German retail to order. Microsoft Deutschland GmbH is committed to working with the German regulatory body for games software, the USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle), to ensure its games receive the appropriate rating and are enjoyed by the right age group in Germany. Gears of War was not given an age rating by the USK and therefore will not be published.

"At Microsoft, providing a safer, more secure environment and age-appropriate content for all consumers has been a part of the Xbox story from the very beginning. We have led the effort to create and build-in safety measures that enable parents and caregivers to choose the right play and viewing settings for their family. As an industry leader, we are committed to helping create a safer environment in which all users can enjoy the full benefits of interactive entertainment. We actively support creativity, freedom of expression and personal choice within the industry."