This year’s September release Dead Island may be achieving successful sales figures worldwide, but the game has officially been banned in Germany citing the amount of violence that is kicked into it. Expressing no surprise at all at this move, developer Techland has made it known that it was very much expecting the ban to happen, owing to the country’s ‘unique’ regulations regarding video games and violence.
Speaking to Eurogamer, the Polish developer has revealed that it is not shocked by the game being classified as ‘List B’ by Germany’s Federal Department of Media Harmful to Young Persons (known as the BPJM). This list comprises the names of ‘youth-endangering media’ which cannot be sold anywhere in Germany. Moreover, if someone is caught doing so, they will be punishable under the German law.
“This isn’t unexpected. Germany has its unique regulations regarding video games and violence and the industry can only comply. Both Deep Silver and Techland were aware of such a possibility from the very beginning,” Techland appears to have told the website.
Also, if shipped by the importing retailers in Germany, there are high possibilities that the copies of this game will get seized by customs. BPJM hasn’t explained the reason for this ban yet, which is a common exercise by this department. Publisher Koch Media, which happens to own Deep Silver, has steered clear of the German law by selling the game in the neighboring Austria.
Dead Island, which is currently banned in Germany, was released all over the world in September this year for the PS3, Xbox 360 as well as PC. A new Bloodbath Arena DLC has also been launched for this title recently.