"Killergames" to be banned in Germany? (CVG 23/3/09)

The chief of Germany's national police union has called for a nationwide ban on violent games.

Heini Schmitt, head of the Hessen German Police Union (DPolG), recommended the move in the wake of the ‬Albertville school shootings earlier this month, which saw a heavily armed 17-year-old kill 15 people.


"It is known that in every situation in which a violent rampage has occurred, the perpetrator has had a remarked addiction to so-called killergames. The manner of the deed is astonishingly similar to virtual examples," he told Echo Online (via GamePolitics).

Despite admitting that there is no proof "that these frequent escapes into virtual killerworlds can contribute to such insane deeds", Schmitt added: "But neither can the role killergames be completely dismissed. The world would be no poorer if there were no more killergames."

Reuters reports that Galeria Kaufhof, one of Germany's largest retailers, will pull violent films and games from its shelves in response to the school shootings, a move that has been criticised by Stephen Reichart, the head of German games development association G.A.M.E.

"I think Kaufhof's decision is a complete overreaction - it borders on impulsive hysteria," said Reichart. "It would be sufficient if retailers made sure their cashiers don't sell this material to young people."

That would be a good start.