Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle

This article is about the German computer game ratings body. For other uses, see Usk (disambiguation).
USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle)
Founded 1994 (1994)
Headquarters Berlin, Germany
Area served
 Germany
Services Video game ratings
Website usk.de

Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body, abbreviated USK) is the organisation responsible for video game ratings in Germany.[1]

Ratings

Approved without age restriction in accordance with Art. 14 German Children and Young Persons Protection Act (JuSchG).
Games without age restriction are games which are directly aimed at children and young persons as well as at an adult buyer group.
 Approved for children aged 6 and above in accordance with Art. 14 German Children and Young Persons Protection Act (JuSchG).
These games mostly involve family-friendly games which may be more exciting and competitive (e.g. via faster game speeds and more complex tasks)
 Approved for children aged 12 and above in accordance with Art. 14 German Children and Young Persons Protection Act (JuSchG).
These games feature much more of a competitive edge. Game scenarios contain little violence, enabling players to distance themselves sufficiently from events.
Approved for children aged 16 and above in accordance with Art. 14 German Children and Young Persons Protection Act (JuSchG).
Games approved for children aged 16 and above may include acts of violence. This means that it is also natural for adults to buy them.
 Not approved for anyone under 18 in accordance with Art. 14 German Children and Young Persons Protection Act (JuSchG).
These games almost always involve violent game concepts and frequently generate a dark and threatening atmosphere. This makes them suitable for adults only. These games often contain brutal, strong bloody violence and/or glorify war and/or human rights violations.
The USK's official logo, used until August 2010.

Original ratings

These are ratings used from 2003 until 2009–2010.

According to the USK itself, the state uses the age rating symbol to regulate whether a computer game may be publicly supplied to children and young persons. Retailers are obliged to comply with the restrictions indicated by the rating. A game approved for children aged 12 and above may not be sold to a 10-year old. Outside of business relations (e.g. parents or adult friends giving the game a child or youth) there is no such restriction.[1]

Advertisement of games rated USK 16 or below is not restricted only if the advertisement itself has no content that is harmful to minors. Games without a USK rating are treated like a USK 18 game.

Additionally the BPjM maintains a List of media harmful to young people (colloquially known as the “Index”). Titles that are on this list may only be sold on request to adults 18 or older, are not to be advertised in any media or put on display in retail stores. German retail stores, mail order and internet vendors tend to sell only games, that do have a USK rating, due to the massive restrictions. These games are still sold from vendors outside Germany into the German market, however numbers are low.

Only games that are not rated harmful to young people by the BPjM may get a USK rating. Many non-German publishers and developers create special German version of their games to try to prevent an 18+ rating either fearing the same negative sales impact an AO rating would have in the US, or out of fear that an 18+ title might be indexed by the BPjM.

In 2006 Microsoft chose not to release Gears of War on the German market. Since the game was imported to the German market nonetheless (without any age limit), the BPjM became involved and put the game on the index list. The same applied to the second instalment. Afterwards the rating procedure was revised, and imported games without a USK rating are automatically considered 18+ regardless of content. The the third game did get classified with a USK 18 rating.

References

  1. 1 2 USK. Protecting Children and Young People. . URL:http://www.usk.de/fileadmin/documents/USK_Broschuere_ENG.pdf. Accessed: 2015-08-14. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6ampnB5Jn)
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