German retail version cut - are "old" Steam versions on German accounts affected?

[Zonker]

Hi all,

I am a little concerned about the German release of Killing Floor by Koch Media (http://www.kochmedia.de/haendler/shop/public/ECD665003D.jsf) this month. As expected, this retail version will be cut, as the uncut original version was put on the index by BPjM (http://www.bundespruefstelle.de/) and is therefore forbidden to be advertised publicly or sold to minors (for German readers: http://www.gamecaptain.de/News/23213/Killing_Floor_in_Deutschland_nur_gek%FCrzt.html ).

So I guess there will be a "Killing Floor (DE)" version sold to German buyers on Steam soon which includes the cuts. The question is: will this affect Steam versions bought before this date (that is, will they be "patched" to a cut state)? Is there any information on that topic? I don't know Valve's policy regarding this subject and I really don't want to import an UK version just to get my original game back. :)

[Smertnik]

I don't think so. Steam treats different versions of a game as different games. Everyone who bought the game over Steam so far got the original, uncut Killing Floor. Even if the German version makes it to Steam, our KF copies won't get switched to "Killing Floor (DE)" because we already own the uncut version.

That's my take on the issue, at least.

[RalphMalph]

I'm not German but from all the threads Ive read around this subject I wouldnt expect your Steam version to stay uncut.

If nothing else, you'll get patched to the latest German version when the update comes. I dont think you can get around this by downloading from another region either, they have you by IP.

Good Luck though, the ♥♥♥♥ you guys put up with around video games is crazy.

[Banjo]

I hope our version will remain uncut.
Do you have to activate the retail version via Steam or can it be played without it? If so...there is a chance that our copys will not be censored \o/
Would be nice if someone from Tripwire or Steam could "clear our minds" xD

P.E.A.C.E.

[Shigure]

This is what happened with left4dead. After the release of the german version, steam patched my version into the german one, removing every reason to play that game.

Fire instantly kills? Come on!

[Narses101]

Hi all,
So I guess there will be a "Killing Floor (DE)" version sold to German buyers on Steam soon which includes the cuts. The question is: will this affect Steam versions bought before this date (that is, will they be "patched" to a cut state)? Is there any information on that topic? I don't know Valve's policy regarding this subject and I really don't want to import an UK version just to get my original game back. :)

Ramm-Jaeger;557724']As many of you may have heard the retail version of Killing Floor is coming out next week - March 26th. To be able to advertise and properly sell the game in stores in Germany we were forced by the USK to make a lot of changes to the game. Primarily we had to remove gore, shooting ragdolls, zeds on fire, decapitation etc.

I would like to make one thing clear - everyone that has already purchased Killing Floor or purchases it before next week (March 22nd) digitally or has purchased a retail non-German version will STILL HAVE FULL GORE.

Anyone that purchased either a digital or retail version of Killing Floor in Germany after next week (March 22nd), will receive the reduced gore version of the game. It is unfortunate that we have to do this to continue to be able to advertise and properly sell the game in Germany.

Please address any issues with this to your local German politician or the offices of the USK. And I highly encourage any German to write your government officials and express your opinion on this ratings system. We don't like it any more than you do, but only the German people can change this system - so go make it happen.
So it'll stay the worldwide version if you bought it or buy it before the German release date.

[Smertnik]

So it'll stay the worldwide version if you bought it or buy it before the German release date.
Just as I thought. Thanks for the confirming quote.

[Leader Bee]

"Primarily we had to remove gore, shooting ragdolls, zeds on fire, decapitation etc."

So the firebug perk is useless ?

[Zonker]

"Primarily we had to remove gore, shooting ragdolls, zeds on fire, decapitation etc."

So the firebug perk is useless ?

Without fire and decaps I'm basically wondering if it's really the same game anymore. :)

So it'll stay the worldwide version if you bought it or buy it before the German release date.

And thanks for the citation. Just needed some kind of official word about this.
Besides, I don't see any future without our youth protection system ("so go make it happen" like Ramm-Jaeger wrote). On the other hand, Valve finally introducing an age verification for Steam, so adult gamers can buy the games they are legally allowed to without having to import everything... that would help a lot.

[Yoshiro]

Just confirming the Ramm quote is correct.

[Smertnik]

On the other hand, Valve finally introducing an age verification for Steam, so adult gamers can buy the games they are legally allowed to without having to import everything... that would help a lot.
Age verification would be useless since Valve is only allowed to sell Germans (or rather people with German IPs) games which got approved by Bundesprüfstelle. So even if there was some kind of an age verification Steam would still only be able to sell cut versions.

[Zonker]

Age verification would be useless since Valve is only allowed to sell Germans (or rather people with German IPs) games which got approved by Bundesprüfstelle. So even if there was some kind of an age verification Steam would still only be able to sell cut versions.

Nah, as long as it is a legit way of proving your age, Valve would be allowed to sell games which were put on the index. They just mustn't advertise or sell those games to minors. German retail shops like Okaysoft sell those titles, too, provided you send them a copy of your ID.

Edit: Of course there's always the next step of banned titles like uncut versions of Wolfenstein. Those aren't allowed to be distributed to anyone in Germany.

[Smertnik]

Nah, as long as it is a legit way of proving your age, Valve would be allowed to sell games which were put on the index. They just mustn't advertise or sell those games to minors. German retail shops like Okaysoft sell those titles, too, provided you send them a copy of your ID.

Edit: Of course there's always the next step of banned titles like uncut versions of Wolfenstein. Those aren't allowed to be distributed to anyone in Germany.
The thing is, Okaysoft actually sends games via mail and you have to take the order personally. Steam is an online distributor and there's no possibility to prove that you're the owner of the ID, you could use the ID of basically anyone.

[Zonker]

Yes, Steam couldn't use the same system as a retail shop, that's true. There seem to be legit ways for online services to verify the age of their customers, though. I found this one, for example:
http://www.verify-u.de/?/helpwie_001 (German site) which is used by several companies (http://www.verify-u.de/?/Partner) for this purpose.

I would guess it's mainly a matter of money:
- Is Valve willing to invest some to integrate a working system and
- does Valve expect to get enough additional sales from this?

Considering the German PC market is one the biggest worldwide I still got a little hope... :)

[Amander]

There's one thing I don't understand. Until now, you could sell the game uncensored on Steam. Why can't you continue selling it uncensored on Steam while it's censored retail? It's not like Steam was a German store and TWI isn't a German company either, so why do you have to censor it on Steam too?

[majloo]

The new cut German version will include a big pink elephant instead of Patty, with the opportunity to throw Lollypops at it.

Instead of blood, there will be chocolate too! So excited.

[Jäveln]

so german get censored version in retail stores or whatever em not good english but is retail the thing u buy from stores like eb games?
and will killing floor ever get to norway finland or sweden?

[Jäveln]

and before everyone start harrasing me about buying it through steam no i dont have credit card wont get one dont trust one and i want a hard copy of the games i own and i cant find anything about wich countries it will be available in

[Arkayer]

so german get censored version in retail stores or whatever em not good english but is retail the thing u buy from stores like eb games?
and will killing floor ever get to norway finland or sweden?

Retail is a store. Yes.

I don't know if KF is coming to Scandinavia retailers, but I sure hope so, a few more Scandinavian brothers/sisters can't hurt. :D

[Jäveln]

ah sweet really hate some english words cuz i dont wanna learn new stuff but anyway thx for answering and would be nice if someone knew or had any info about it coming in scandinavia cuz we feel kinda forgotten over here even russians and guys in somme obscure countries like turkmenistan gets it but not scandinavia?

[PacMan84]

cuz we feel kinda forgotten over here even russians and guys in somme obscure countries like turkmenistan gets it but not scandinavia?

:D OMG your post made me laugh really hard. Awesome.

Back to topic: I am glad I can keep my uncut version of the game. Age verification is something we Germans really need in steam.
People always think that the government censors our games. It's not true. We can buy them, when we are 18 which I think is good, as kids should in my opinion not be subjected to violence in such a drastic way as zombie movies/games. If we could only buy them via Steam, too. I remember that years ago Valve was contemplating whether to introduce an age verification system or not. Nothing has happened since then.
Maybe we should contact them about it.
-pac