The Callisto Protocol, unsurprisingly, does not receive a youth rating. But that’s not the news. Rather, the horror game appears in this country uncut. By no means a matter of course, considering the high level of violence against nightmarish monsters.
On the USK website, Callisto Protocol is already listed as tested and with the seal USK 18
Mistake. The developers also confirmed that the horror shooter in Europey 100 percent uncut and completely identical to the international version
comes onto the market.
The game contains terrifying monsters and doesn’t skimp on the depiction of violence, as the gameplay trailer illustrates:
3:20
The Callisto Protocol: Gameplay from gamescom features absolutely horrific monsters
Altered treatment
Games with a high degree of violence, lots of pixel blood and severed monster limbs like Callisto Protocol have long faced particular problems in Europey. Dead Space 2 needed six attempts at the USK after Bavarian politicians pushed through a re-examination in 2011.
Not only have some games in the past often been denied USK approval, youth protection has also occasionally stepped in and had games indexed and confiscated. This led to many publishers releasing games specially cut for the Europe market. Or completely rewritten, like Wolfenstein 2 with the beardless dictator healer
and no references to the Holocaust.
However, there has been a lot of movement on the subject, especially in recent years. Also games with swastikas like the ancient, precedent-setting Wolfenstein 3D were released:
USK seal for Wolfenstein 3D
This marks a turning point in youth protection
The persistent stereotype of violent games that would make people aggressive across the board has been replaced by scientific ones long-term studies seriously doubted.
Some politicians have argued in the past that video games could be particularly harmful to young people. The USK also attaches particular importance to the interactive factor of entertainment, since you act yourself and not just remain a passive spectator.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of games come onto the market these days as long as there is no content that is unconstitutional, inhuman or glorifies violence. For a short time now, games with swastikas have been able to receive USK approval as long as the so-called social adequacy is given, which means that games are increasingly being treated the same as other media.
