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Possible censorship in Call Of Duty: WWII?
- Thread starter Deckard Chapel
- Start date
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Deckard Chapel
Banned
You would be surprised. It's historical, yes - but certain groups have taken an already problematic insignia and added more horrible stigmas to it by their use of it. It's atrocious that in this day and age, history isn't treated as a guidebook of what not to do.
When the developers spend 2 1/2 years researching WWII and are literally, constantly saying it will be "historically accurate", "authentic", "personal" and "visceral", I have to hope for total accuracy.
SDCowboy
Member
You're comparing a logo to actions of people. The logo is not obscene. It is the logo they used.
And no it's not a documentary, but it is a WW2 game that will likely have a large Nazi presence. If one is that offended by anything pertaining to Nazi's, then why even play the game?
Gemüsepizza
Member
Maybe this is also because of the multiplayer mode? Hard to imagine an esport event where people cheer for a team playing as Germans covered in swastikas.
In multiplayer would it be terrible if they removed swastikas? I don't think so. I mean obviously if they keep the player created icons people will do it anyways, but eh there is a different context in multiplayer games so I can see it. If you are going to use the story of the Nazis as your framework for a story then why would you remove symbols? You are already going pretty far. I highly doubt they will.
So you're taking the most overused meaningless marketing-buzzwords at face value?
Faynwulf
Member
I can guarantee that the game will have all Hakenkreuze/Swastikas removed in the german version. Maybe even in all european versions of the game. The big problem here is that games are not seen as an artform, which would allow these things to be shows. There are no problems with these signs in lets say films or tv-shows.
You must be trolling at this point.
Is this your first call of duty marketing cycle?
It's a symbol. Sensitivity about it might be different in the US but i'd like you to argue around here that the swastika is not "obscene"/offensive.
There has never been an action game (or movie) that didn't sacrifice accuracy for spectacle and entertainment. COD of all franchises won't be an exception. You will be a one man army like you always are.
Is this the first historical game you follow?
Steam at least has separate version for Germany, so rest of Europe won't be censored.
The stamp might be. The weapon "card" thing, probably not, though I don't think Wehrmacht symbolage is banned.
If I had to guess, that is probably the German version, since that will be censored.
And they may very well be doing that, but unless Germany has shifted its stance on the matter, it will be as accurate as it can without using Nazi symbols. I doubt that would apply to the rest of the world though.
If I had to guess, that is probably the German version, since that will be censored.
And they may very well be doing that, but unless Germany has shifted its stance on the matter, it will be as accurate as it can without using Nazi symbols. I doubt that would apply to the rest of the world though.
PingPongvonLaserstein
Member
SDCowboy
Member
I don't know where "around here" is, but as I mentioned, I'm referring to regions outside of Germany. I fully get being offended by the group a logo may represent, but to be offended by the actual logo itself, I don't get.
If one is that offended by anything portraying Nazis, shouldn't seeing Nazis be far more offensive that a logo? How does a logo offend more than seeing actual Nazis (well digital versions of them) themselves?
ForkNetwork
Banned
Because theres nothing that says "feeeelings" that a game featuring the battles of the deadliest war in human history.
Fuck off.
What a silly thread. The first screenshot clearly shows the Iron cross - the fact that whoever circled the thing and thought "LOL THIS SHOULD BE A SWASTIKA" shows how little those who cry "censorship! historical accuracy!" know about actual history.
Besides - seeing as how Swastika will need to be replaced for the German version, i can imagine they might be trying to avoid the use swastikas in these kinds of illustration, because - unlike with ingame stuff, where you can just change the texture, having your artists do two version for every such 'story filler' asset is simply a waste of resources. Who cares whether or not a faded Reichsadler carries a Swastika.
Besides - seeing as how Swastika will need to be replaced for the German version, i can imagine they might be trying to avoid the use swastikas in these kinds of illustration, because - unlike with ingame stuff, where you can just change the texture, having your artists do two version for every such 'story filler' asset is simply a waste of resources. Who cares whether or not a faded Reichsadler carries a Swastika.
Nealand Liquor
Member
Meh it's just another CoD shooter so I don't give a fuck.
Now if this were a game that was actually going to make a statement or have a deeper point, say is was Neil Druckmann writing his magnus opus, and swastikas were removed, I would hold a different opinion.
Now if this were a game that was actually going to make a statement or have a deeper point, say is was Neil Druckmann writing his magnus opus, and swastikas were removed, I would hold a different opinion.
Honestly Germany needs to remove that law it makes no sense at all does Russia ban the Soviet logo from media/games etc with the anchor? on wich Stalin killed millions of people.
No matter how hard you try you can't hide the past how evil or shamefull it is/was people will always find the logo's truth etc.
Maybe they should just finally add video games to the list of artforms so that it is permitted to use it like in movies etc.
Edit: I really dispise the censoring since most of the times affects the whole of europe and sometimes even the whole world. I want to experience the games/design how the devs originally intended it. Kino der Toten for example feels less like a Nazi infested zombie map without the Swastikas.
No matter how hard you try you can't hide the past how evil or shamefull it is/was people will always find the logo's truth etc.
Maybe they should just finally add video games to the list of artforms so that it is permitted to use it like in movies etc.
Edit: I really dispise the censoring since most of the times affects the whole of europe and sometimes even the whole world. I want to experience the games/design how the devs originally intended it. Kino der Toten for example feels less like a Nazi infested zombie map without the Swastikas.
Germany openly censors the swastika. Do you think the Germans are trying to erase history about the Nazis?
Not to attack you, but if people are really concerned about erasure of history maybe one should be concerned about what's actually shown of the war. Not a washed out stamp.
Well Black ops 3 is getting remastered zombie maps in 2 days and it doesn't have swastikas either. Original zombie maps did.
So yeah, most likely CoD WW2 is getting censored too.
I think they should just make separate German version that doesn't have swastikas. Like Wolfenstein.
SlipperyFishes
Banned
It's a video game made for primarily entertainment purposes with only the backdrop of World War 2 used for a setting. There is nothing educational about a Call of Duty game, nor should you expect to learn here. Unless they're going to be raw and go all in with the horrors of the Holocaust then by default anything portrayed on screen is censored by default.
Yes that sucks, but this is something we are unlikely to ever see in a game.
Unfortunately given the rise of nationalism in the west in recent years, I can see they'd want to perhaps want to avoid using certain resurgent insignias. Maybe one day they'll go all in though and give us a historically accurate game.
But this ain't it.
Yes that sucks, but this is something we are unlikely to ever see in a game.
Unfortunately given the rise of nationalism in the west in recent years, I can see they'd want to perhaps want to avoid using certain resurgent insignias. Maybe one day they'll go all in though and give us a historically accurate game.
But this ain't it.
Good thing us Germans are ahead of the curve and started waaay before this generation of human beings. We'll have Zombie labs while the rest of the world is still stuck researching censorship.
This is also a dumb premise, unless a single copy of the censored version of CoD WWII will eventually be the single source of information about World War II.
Acussing Germany of trying to hide the past is a pretty bold accusation to make. :c
You ever heard about books, movies, documentaries and so on?
We're talking about a Call of Duty game here.
To clear this up:
A: This was material for international reveal, so they did not show anything offending in certain countries (germany and so on).
B: There is already two different entries on Steam for CoD:WW2, one international, one german. So you could already know that there is a censored and uncensored version coming.
C: Germany has no restrictions on nazi stuff in media. Indiana Jones and Inglorious Basterds are uncensored in german TV, aswell as South Park episodes with swastikas. Gaming publishers are just afraid over a very complicated situation, but there is no special restriction on games vs. other media. Don't spread lies, thank you.
A: This was material for international reveal, so they did not show anything offending in certain countries (germany and so on).
B: There is already two different entries on Steam for CoD:WW2, one international, one german. So you could already know that there is a censored and uncensored version coming.
C: Germany has no restrictions on nazi stuff in media. Indiana Jones and Inglorious Basterds are uncensored in german TV, aswell as South Park episodes with swastikas. Gaming publishers are just afraid over a very complicated situation, but there is no special restriction on games vs. other media. Don't spread lies, thank you.
You know kids learn about this in school and through documentaries and books (actual historical accurate stuff) and not just from a Call Of Duty AAA entertaiment product?
This would have happened 10 years ago if publishers actually cared and spoke to the government about it.
Company of Heroes 2 was banned in Russia because they realistically portrayed the Soviet army being just as, if not more brutal than the Wehrmacht. Guess they weren't big fans of Order 227 as a mechanic rather than portraying "The Great Patriotic War" as a bunch of selfless liberators and heroes.
Deckard Chapel
Banned
Yes it it.
You are correct - I used "politically-correct" in the wrong sense.
I edited the OP to reflect this.
How is that humorous?
Way too far sir, way too far.
The method of play and how you go about it - in you're part of a group, but doing most of the killing would be considered "unrealistic" - but if you look at someone like Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä who did in fact have over 500 confirmed kills by himself - is that not historically accurate?
The swastika has been in every other WW2 CoD game, I don't see why they would censor it now.
Too early to tell anyway.
How on earth would it glorifying it?
Too early to tell anyway.
How on earth would it glorifying it?
SDCowboy
Member
How is having it in game, glorifying it?
"here" is Switzerland.
I don't have a problem with the swastika being in the game - if it is. However the swastika is an offensive symbol. I'm honestly surprised there's even disagreement about that.
And i don't understand the insistence on calling it a logo. It's a flag. A symbol.
I look forward to a realistic call of duty which consists of solely hide in the snow and sniping russians for 8 hours.
This is not nearly the same as running straight into MG42 fire like you do in COD.
I don't mean it in that way i ment it more in a way compared to other countries with censoring policies on past events.
My English is not 100% good so i should have worded it better.
The law indeed needs to stay in place to prevent public showing of them but videogames should be added to the list of artform so that it is permitted if it is not used for hatefull intentions.
I'm sorry, were you offended by my wanting historical accuracy?
VibratingDonkey
Member
If you look closely near the feed-cover catch, you can see that they also removed the vagina bones.
Speculating based on some image that may have no relevance or significance to anything, seems kind of pointless. I'll assume Activision will handle it like they always have, in some kind of way that I've never known.
Speculating based on some image that may have no relevance or significance to anything, seems kind of pointless. I'll assume Activision will handle it like they always have, in some kind of way that I've never known.
I personally wouldn't mind it, it would push boundaries for sure.
Deckard Chapel
Banned
Marketing terminology is one thing, but when you talk about it being a personal experience - like for example Glen Schofield's father passing away during the development of this game and in tribute they named the main character after him - things like that lead me to believe that they are treating this as a passion project - which by the way, they've also implicitly stated they view it as such.
If they're going to do the history justice, then they have to get it all authentic - which they've also implicitly stated.
I'm kind of fighting for German gamers here as well because they should get a game that reflects history and not one that erases history.
Yes, I'm sure.
SDCowboy
Member
Right, it's the flag and symbol they used. If the portrayal of Nazi's in a historical setting is so offensive, then seeing Nazi's in the game should be far more offensive than their flag or symbol.
It would be an interesting experience instead of this glorified war COD gives you.
Don't think activision or any other dev has the balls to do it though.
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