A ban on the widespread sale of legendary first person shooter Doom has been lifted in Germany, after 17 years.
The 1994 ban saw the original game and its sequel classified in the same way as pornography and only legally available to buy in adult shops.
Now, repressed German gamers can go out and buy Doom for their Pentium 486 PC, without looking like perverts or sadists.
Historical interest
The Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (Bundesprufstelle) decided that Doom was now only of historical interest and unlikely to harm kids way more concerned with Xbox 360 violence.
The decision comes following an appeal from the id Studios, which created Doom, arguing that many modern titles had now surpassed the gore and horror on show in the classic title.
According to the BBC, however, the crude graphics were not the sole issue, but the relentless bloodthirst on display.
"The panel explained that it was originally concerned because the story played out in Doom involved a relentless cycle of gunplay and "bloody sadistic" violence that was not balanced by other scenes," said the Beeb's report.
Blacklist
A version of the game that contains Nazi symbols in one level remains on the blacklist.
If the German's can find a way to place a worldwide ban on the 2005 game-to-movie conversion of the same name, that would be helpful.
Link: BBC
