- lud ( @lud@lemm.ee ) 2•4 hours ago
It is important to note that the official gobernment rating system, USK, is not mandatory for Steam. Steam’s own rating system, which is easier to access, is enough, but Valve warns that filling out the questionnaire doesn’t guarantee the game will remain available in Germany: " There are certain kinds of content that are not allowed for sale to customers in Germany."
- Lad ( @AFC1886VCC@reddthat.com ) 22•9 hours ago
What is it with Germany and Australia always being so anal about video games?
- PonyOfWar ( @PonyOfWar@pawb.social ) 19•9 hours ago
There was a lot of panic about “killer games” in the 90s-00s. Politicians and parents blamed video games for school shootings. Nowadays nobody cares about the topic at all, but the strict rules remain. Steam just kind of ignored the local laws so far, but now decided to actually adhere to them.
- Baggie ( @Baggie@lemmy.zip ) 6•7 hours ago
Australia had a bit of an old fart classification board. It’s gotten a lot better in recent years, especially after the R18 rating was introduced. It was pretty dumb for a while though I agree.
- YourPrivatHater ( @YourPrivatHater@ani.social ) 5•8 hours ago
Fucking assholes at it again ruining fun because “CHILDREN CHILDREN” while they actually just want to opress.
Its gladly not that hard to get a rating, the agency just gives you a form you need to fill, hope everyone does that.
- 🦄🦄🦄 ( @Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org ) 4•10 hours ago
So I will have to buy the games on GreenManGaming etc. Oh no.
Anyways…
- PonyOfWar ( @PonyOfWar@pawb.social ) 5•10 hours ago
That depends… many games blocked in Germany on Steam also can’t be activated in Germany.
- 🦄🦄🦄 ( @Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org ) 3•10 hours ago
Really? Have never encountered that. But even if, that’s what vpns are for. And since steam isn’t losing any money that way they probably don’t care about it either.
- windowsphoneguy ( @windowsphoneguy@feddit.org ) 3•10 hours ago
I don’t understand why they don’t use an age verification provider like PostIdent for 18+ titles
- DdCno1 ( @DdCno1@beehaw.org ) 1•5 hours ago
Valve’s team for the store is absolutely tiny. They simply chose not to hire anyone who is qualified to deal with German bureaucracy. This is the easiest and least costly way (since it’s up to developers to self-rate their games) to comply with regulations.