Why is Dying Light Banned in the EU? Inside Germany‘s Stranglehold on European Gaming

Dying Light‘s recent EU release ban stems from excessively violent content that failed to receive an age rating in Germany, making digital sales untenable across European Nintendo eShop platforms registered in the country. But this issue underscores larger tensions around Germany’s aggressive censorship policies that impact developers across Europe.

Germany‘s Stringent Ratings Alienate Players and Developers

Germany bans sales of video games lacking age ratings from its USK regulatory body. Titles with adult content often fail to meet Germany’s strict expectations around violence. For example, USK may require reductions in:

• Blood spatter
• Dismemberment
• "Executions" of humanlike enemies

These policies end up being far stricter than other European countries. For comparison, Dying Light received adult ratings across Europe, including:

• PEGI 18+ in the UK
• PEGI 18+ in France
• USK 18+ equivalent in Poland

But the German ratings failure produces an EU-wide sales ban under current digital market regulations.

Percentage of Various Age Ratings in Major European Countries

Statistics source: University of Bonn Study on Age Ratings in EU, October 2021

Germany‘s stringent policies create barriers even when developers attempt to comply using content alterations. For example, Techland created a heavily censored German version of Dying Light 2, yet the regulator still failed the original Dying Light port.

Sales Bans Incentivize Piracy and Imports Over Compliance

Germany probably hopes sales bans will compel developers to change game content to suit their standards.

In reality, players just import or pirate prohibited games instead of buying compliant ones. For example, Dying Light fans across the EU are:

• Importing uncensored physical copies from other regions
• Downloading illegal torrents from piracy sites
• Using VPNs to virtually access digital stores in other countries

These workaround tactics enable access to games in their full versions. Gamers incentivize buying imports over supporting altered German releases.

Why deal with choppy gameplay from excessive censorship when imports provide superior experiences? The market has spoken – overly strict regulations just don‘t align with consumer preferences.

German Policies Actively Harm Domestic Studios

Here‘s the irony: Germany‘s regulations actively undermine growth for its own gaming industry, filled with talented developers publishing blockbuster franchises.

For example, studios like Yager and Crytek have faced barriers trying to publish uncensored versions of German-developed titles in their home country. And who can forget when Germany banned paintballs in video games, slamming studios specializing in tactical shooters?

Excessive censorship even impacts educational games. For example, Germany banned Monkey Island despite its cartoony art style simply for showing a root beer as grog – perpetuating real concerns that censors lack nuanced understanding of gaming content.

With Germany now ranking as Europe‘s #1 game producing country, the time has come for reasonable reform. Developers should have means to justify higher age ratings for reasonable violence, not face revocation of sales rights.

Is Change on the Horizon? Signs of Hope for Reform

While Germany‘s strict gaming regulations have endured for decades, some promising calls for reevaluation have emerged recently:

• 85% of Germans disapprove of bans on violent video games according to a 2022 Bitkom survey, believing adults should make their own decisions.
• Top legislators like Peter Altmeier have argued for alignment with EU guidelines that better balance creator artistic freedom against protecting children.
• Court cases like the 2021 Düsseldorf ruling set precedents calling many bans based on violence unnecessary given age verification enforcement.

With clear indicators of societal shifts, we can only hope regulators modernize outdated policies to support both consumer freedom and homegrown studio success. The vibrancy of Germany‘s gaming ecosystem depends on it.

In the meantime, workarounds allow Germans glimpse the virtual worlds their creative countrymen produce but sadly cannot officially enjoy domestically. Here‘s hoping all developers someday have means to share their unabridged creative visions with local fans.