"Warning, this game has been altered slightly in a way you'd probably never notice, and doesn't matter at all; but forum posters think we're trying to hide something...so you know...just FYI."
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Paradox Interactive, a little transparency please!
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"Warning, this game has been altered slightly in a way you'd probably never notice, and doesn't matter at all; but forum posters think we're trying to hide something...so you know...just FYI."
Every game is localised. The German version for the German market is the correct version for Germany - simple.
It is also released under the correct name for the game in Germany. There is no reason to explain otherwise as all German copies will be the same. Just like Final Fantasy is localised from Japanese and has changes for the Western market. If you wish a different localised version then you will have to visit another country and get their localised version. This has been the gaming problem since gaming was invented. Do I want the Japanese game with extra gore? I need to go to YesAsia/Amazon.co.jp and import it. Do I want that international version only released in Japan (which is funny because of the name) then I have to import it.
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Perhaps a small notice on the store page could announce the differences between the German version and the normal version, but maybe Paradox doesn't want to do that as it may affect sales.
You need the information though to know that you want to import it. So even though you seem to disagree with me you actually prove my point.
That is what most other games have in the store page and PI should do that as well. That is what I mean if they chose to censor then let people know at least.
And yes, it would cost them sales but it would be transparent at least.
Otherwise people that are unaware might be a bit upset about even though there will be a mod to give everyone the same version which is not the point here.
That is what most other games have in the store page and PI should do that as well. That is what I mean if they chose to censor then let people know at least.
And yes, it would cost them sales but it would be transparent at least.
Otherwise people that are unaware might be a bit upset about even though there will be a mod to give everyone the same version which is not the point here.
I don´t understand why the should announce on the steam page that it has about 10 modified pictures and 5 text files. Which is about 0,01% of the game and the aren´t even touching any game relevant information. I am from Austria and watched a lot of german tv shows as kid, but have you ever seen a disclaimer in a One Pice episode that it is censored and partially redrawn because of excessive violence? No, so why should i have to declear a product that has about 0,01% censored Material as censored, when a Anime Series that has about 5-10% censored or even deleted material, doesen´t have to bring disclaimer before watching.
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Some companies do that though. It is as the title says called "transparency". Comparing it to TV or movies makes no sense here as they are covered by the term "art".
So this shitstorm is happening because German citizens, residing in Germany, seeking to buy the game through Steam, in Germany, aren't being informed that this game intends to make some small, easily reversible changes to comply with one of the more infamous and (in the video game community) well-known facets of German law?
I can agree that it should be shown on the store page, but it probably wasn't because the changes are so insignificant as to either escape notice from Paradox when they wrote up the store page, or wasn't even considered because the changes were so insignificant.
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The game you buy is the one that is presented in our streams and on Youtube. Videos do not show anything different than what is in the german version. (Unless I screwed up somewhere with the streams, but I don't think so)
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I absolutly agree with your statement. I mean it's not like any cut content of HoI, like for example Adolf Hitler, had any significant impact on the second world war whatsoever.
Look. Technically you are right. There is never any explicit statement in the advertisement that hitler is featured as a portrait. But there doesn't need to be. In a strategy game featuring portraits of historic world leaders, having a portrait of adolf hitler as well is pretty damn heavily implied.
What we are talking about here is just showing basic decency and respect towards your customers by informing them that some content will be changed in the german version. This is not difficult. Steam allready has this for every other censored game available. Hell they even have a warning on the Fallout 3 store page that the game might not work with Windows 7 very well.
Yes, a giant shadow for a portrait instead of the most prominent historical personality of the entire second world war. I am sure not a single person will notice, sorry for making such a ruckus.
Look, people, I get that you want to defend paradox from those meanyhead germans trying to ruin your fun, but this isn't about how significant the censorship is or if it's paradox fault or even about the geolock. This is just about some basic consumer-friendly business. If you sell your customers a product which is different than what the majourity of customers are buying, then you have to tell those customers about that. So that they can make a informed purchasing decision. Then the customers win because they get to make an informed purchase-decision and the studio wins because they reduce the risk of angry germans invading sweden. Win-Win.
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People just want to make small issues into something much larger. Storm in a waterglass as many Paradox-people would say.
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This.
It's not like the non German version gets a swastika DLC. We get an unshadowed Hitler, and who cares. I'm more worried about a Japanese invasion of the United States...
Think about out, landings in California, Oregon and Washington. Taking major population centers and moving slowly towards the east coast while the majority of the American Army is in Europe. GLORY TO THE EMPEROR!
Wait...... I'm sorry, I blacked out there for a second.
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That blacked out portrait? A sinister mysterious leader pulling the strings from the shadows; very cinematic.
We all know it's Hitler, and the blacked out portrait is actually MORE threatening. Personally I don't see the problem.
Besides, this is Paradox's game, and Paradox can do what they like with it. Regional variances to games are nothing new, really quite common. And they're not alone. Movies can have different cinematic versions, depending on what country they are being shown in, then can be edited differently again for DVD release. Even books get the "revision" job done sometimes. I don't know why some think Paradox should for some reason go against the trend of what is actually common practice. And besides, to do so they'd have to fight the German government. As if.
As for sticking a warning disclaimer label on the game: I've yet to see a single game/film/book with such a disclaimer:
"Warning, this DVD version of the Avengers is different to the Blu-Ray",
"Warning this game is different to the one sold in Japan"
It just doesn't happen. Some could argue that it should, but it doesn't, for very simple economical reasons (namely they want to actually sell their product). Again, when the whole world does it one way, why should Paradox be the sole company to go another?
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Someone needs to make a "I hate German law" / "I love Nazi imagery" mega thread already.
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But it DOES! That's my point! Look at every single other game that's been in some way censored in germany.
This is what you see when you open the german store page for Wolfenstein: The New Order
This is what you see when you open the german story page for Fallout 3
We are asking for one small little notice here. We don't exactly expect every paradox employee to sacrifice their first-born here. This is not difficult to do.
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But it DOES! That's my point! Look at every single other game that's been in some way censored in germany.
This is what you see when you open the german store page for Wolfenstein: The New Order
This is what you see when you open the german story page for Fallout 3
We are asking for one small little notice here. We don't exactly expect every paradox employee to sacrifice their first-born here. This is not difficult to do.
Well I never. I had no idea. You do realise - or maybe you don't - that we don't get that at all in the UK. Not even that much. We get warnings about content - violence, adult themes etc - but nothing about "this version is different". Germans actually have it BETTER already! Maybe quit while you're ahead? Or maybe campaign for us Brits to catch up with you?
If you're in germany you can just ask someone who has a different version (non-german) to send you the normal hitler and other blacked portraits - copy/paste and you're done. Now you have the same version as the rest of the world. GFX stuff doesn't change your checksum. so there's that.
I also felt misled by the Steam store page. "There was one stream when they talked about it, everyone should have known" - are you kidding me?
I only know it because I follow the "for UNCUT!" Steam group, I was lucky I didn't preordered the game already.
Paradox is really trying to keep this under the rug. One small pinned thread, that's all. Everything else gets locked/deleted. I'm very disappointed.
I only know it because I follow the "for UNCUT!" Steam group, I was lucky I didn't preordered the game already.
Paradox is really trying to keep this under the rug. One small pinned thread, that's all. Everything else gets locked/deleted. I'm very disappointed.
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