Kotaku: usk

Aliens vs Predator vs Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:00:00 MST

This story involves Germany and a video game packed with violent content, so yeah, you can already imagine where things are headed from here.

Seems Sega know that the upcoming Aliens vs Predator is so violent, and packed with so much gore, that they're not even going to bother submitting it to the USK, Germany's classification board.

Rationale being that the USK, with a reputation for being sticklers for the ol' killerspiel, would only force sweeping changes to the game, changes Sega didn't want to part with, so they're instead just going to save some cash and not bother localising or distributing the game in Germany at all.

Aliens vs. Predator: Too gory for Germany? [PC Games Hardware]

Guitar Hero: Van Halen Confirmed By Ratings Board?

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:40:56 MDT

While Activision's plans for a Guitar Hero game highlighting the music and career of Van Halen is a poorly kept secret, the publisher hasn't yet officially announced it. But the German game ratings board has.

The Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) has rated Guitar Hero headlining Van Halen for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, a fairly strong indicator that Activision is planning on releasing a dedicate title for the band, just under an unexpected name.

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick first hinted at the sequel well over a year ago, with rumors of the title appearing sometime in 2009.

Other entries in the series are titled as they are in North America, so we're not sure why Activision decided to add that "headlining" description.

Even Germany's Box Art Is Censored Now

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:30:00 MDT

[UPDATE - EA contacted us to let us know the German version has two covers; a paper sleeve and the actual DVD case. Only the paper sleeve features this edited box art]The Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, or USK, are Germany's classification board. And as you may already be aware, they're a conservative bunch, banning games that even Australia let slide. But this, this is new. Witness Germany's box art for Valve's upcoming zombie co-op shooter, Left 4 Dead. Notice anything, uh, different?

That's right. We don't know whether the USK had a say in this, or whether Valve/EA just felt like playing it safe, either way, that's a different box. While every other region's cover art shows a left hand with the thumb bitten off - zombies feast on the flesh of the living, you see, it's a joke - on the German version, the thumb's simply tucked in behind the hand there. No gore. How humourless.

Savage Moon Is A New Game For The PS3

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:20:00 MDT

And that's all we know! Because all we know is that a rating for the game has turned up on the website of the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (ie the USK, ie Germany's classification board), it's got a 12 rating, it's only for the PS3, and it is, apparently, a military strategy game. Seeing as we've never heard of this before, odds are good that it's a PSN title. Odds are equally good that we'll be seeing it at some stage during Sony's lone ranger press conference at Leipzig next week.

Savage Moon [USK, thanks everyone who sent this in!]

Army Of Two Refused Classification In...Yes, Germany

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:30:00 MST

Last time I ever give the USK (Germany's classification board) any credit. German gaming site areagames is reporting that the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle have refused EA's Army of Two classification, effectively banning the title from retail sale in the country. A quick search of the USK's website seems to confirm this, as the title doesn't turn up in classification searches (nor do other "banned" titles like Dead Rising). Anyone able to point out what makes this so different from the 1,943 "men with guns" games they've seen fit to OK over the past twelve months?
Army of Two nicht in Deutschland!? [areagames]

GTA IV Cleared For German Release

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:00:00 MST

Germany, it's OK. Despite the USK banning games like they were going out of style throughout 2007, they've managed to see fit to OK Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV for release. Sure, it's got itself a retail-unfriendly 18+ rating, but a release is a release. With Australia and now Germany - the West's two toughest nations when it comes to classification - having signed off on the game, Rockstar must be breathing one deep, raspy sigh of relief.
GTA IV given an 18 rating in Germany [VG247]

Germany Lays Smackdown On Crackdown

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 18:20:59 MST

Looks like German Xbox 360 owners are going to have a harder time getting their Crackdown fix, as the German software ratings board, Unterhaltungssoftware Selbskontrolle, has refused to rate the sci-fi, cel-shady, third-person action game.

So what's the impact of a non-rating? According to Gamespot:

By failing to receive a rating, Crackdown will have a handful of restrictions placed on its sales. As an unclassified game, Crackdown cannot be sold to minors, the transaction must take place in person, and the game can not be displayed or advertised in stores.

Schei e! The USK previously opted not to rate other ultra-violent MS exclusives Gears of War and Dead Rising. This, quite obviously, will have a tremendous impact on sales of Crackdown, but the game will still be available for purchase. Michael McWhertor

Germany cracks down on Crackdown [Gamespot]

No Gears for Germany!

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 04:22:49 MDT

First, Dead Rising gets "nixed" by Germany's rating board, the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, and next up on its chopping block: Gears of War. The USK has decided not to rate the chainsaw-gun-shooting game. Instead of making the necessary changes to get approval for sale, Microsoft has decided not to publish the game in Deutschland. So, we call all safely say this USK pretty much sucks, huh? Brian Ashcraft

CliffyB's Game Gets Axed [Eurogamer]