Last summer, as Germany grappled with a shooting spree linked to video games, state officials demanded the German government enact a comprehensive ban on violent games. A year later the government has refused, choosing to implement ratings education measures instead.
Apparently, a petition that gathered more than 70,000 signatures helped influence the federal government's decision. The signatures were enough to get the matter in front of Germany's Committee on Petitions, and when allowed to address the body, the petitioner asked for more education on the PEGI rating system, which covers games distributed in that country.
Herman Kues, a Parliament State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Home Affairs, subsequently announced that no changes to Germany's current code were coming, and that the country would instead follow the public education recommendation.
A senior executive for Electronic Arts in Germany hailed the decision, telling GamesIndustry.biz that it was "a very welcome step as we encourage policy makers to better understand the reality of today's video game market and give games the same respect as books, films or music."
SOURCE: KOTAKU
