Two German states have drafted a gaming bill that would make the Unnamable One proud. The proposed bill would levy hefty fines and jail time for anyone who develops, distributes, or even plays a game that includes "cruel violence on humans or human-looking characters". The draft comes in response to the German school shooting that occurred last month, in which a Counter-Strike player stormed the building, wounded upwards of 40 people, and then took his own life. Main sponsor of the proposal, Minister of the Interior Gunther Beckstein, had this to say:

It is absolutely beyond any doubt that such killer games desensitise unstable characters and can have a stimulating effect.

Before violent video games showed up, Germany was the happiest place in the world, known for their peaceful nature and vast, roaming herds of friendly unicorns that pooped rainbows and candy floss.

The law could put a serious damper on Germany's massive online gaming community, which could find its estimated 2 million players stuck romping through Hello Kitty Island Adventure instead of shouting "Boom! Headshot!" In a perfect world you could combine the two. Michael Fahey

Germany plans crackdown on violent online games [MSNBC via GamePolitics.com - Thanks 17-A]

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