It’s only been a matter of days since Germany’s classification board agreed to start allowing video games to depict overt Nazi symbols, something that had previously been forbidden. Which means a game about The Third Reich already in development is going to be one of the first to be able to implement the change.
Through the Darkest of Times is being made by a small German studio, and has you playing as a resistance member working against the Nazi party’s rise following Hitler’s election victory in 1933.
The developer’s long fight to be able to use important historic symbols is detailed in this Gamasutra post, which is definitely worth a read for the detail it goes into on the background behind the constitution’s prohibition.
The trailer below, released in April, obviously doesn’t feature any symbols, seeing as it came before the decision, but a version of the game submitted to the USK just ahead of GamesCom this week did and passed, meaning Through the Darkest of Times will be allowed to show everything from Nazi salutes to the swastika when it’s released.
It’s still in development, but it’s hoped an Early Access version of the game will be out soon.