Crytek Is Threatening to Leave Germany Because of Anti-Games Policy

We've been hearing a lot of game-related news from Germany these days, mostly regarding its strict and severe policy in regard to violent video games. But in recent months, a veritable crusade against them has been started, all beginning with a high school student who shot many of his friends because, as the media reported, he saw that in a video game.

Since then, interior ministers from all of Germany's districts have met and are proposing a law against the production and distribution of violent video games “where the main part is to realistically play the killing of people or other cruel or un-human acts of violence against humans or manlike characters.”

While many retail outlets haven't made their voices heard in terms of outlawing distribution, one of Germany's largest video game developers, Crytek, the creators of award-winning shooters like Far Cry, Crysis or Crysis: Warhead, has now announced that if such a law is passed then it will take its business out of the country.

With such a move, coupled with other video game developers moving out of the European country, the government will be left without an important part of its internal revenue and many of its inhabitants will be left jobless unless they move with the studios in question.

“A ban on action games in Germany is concerning us because it is essentially like banning the German artists that create them,” Crytek boss Cevat Yerli stated. “If the German creative community can't effectively participate in one of the most important cultural mediums of our future, we will be forced to relocate to other countries.”

Petitions against such an act have already been signed by more than 64,000 German inhabitants, which might make the government take both views into consideration when this project will reach its discussion board.

Hopefully this movement led by Crytek will be followed by other studios and the political leaders of the country will see just how important the gaming industry is to Germany and will impose less harsh rules regarding their development and distribution.