Earlier in 2024, Valve announced that games being sold in Germany were going to require an Age Rating to continue to be sold, and now there's a deadline.
An update was posted to Valve's official Steamworks documentation (thanks SteamDB), that now makes it clear that game developers have a deadline of November 15th 2024 to ensure an Age Rating is provided. If one is missing, from that date the games simply won't be displayed to Steam customers in Germany.
Developers will need to "truthfully complete Steam's built-in content questionnaire and publish the results". Thankfully Valve has a built-in system for this, so it shouldn't take long for developers to do.
From Valve's FAQ:
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.Q. When do I need to complete this questionnaire by?
A. You can complete the questionnaire at any time. Games without a German age rating will be hidden from customers in Germany starting November 15, 2024.
Q. If I fill out the questionnaire, is my game guaranteed to remain available in Germany?
A. No. There are certain kinds of content that are not allowed for sale to customers in Germany. If present in your game, this content must be disclosed in the content questionnaire. Please complete the questionnaire completely and truthfully. Steam will automatically generate an appropriate rating for your game in Germany. If the generated rating allows, your game will automatically become visible to customers in Germany.
Q. What if my game has a USK rating?
A. If your game has been issued an age rating by going through the rating process directly with USK, you may also enter that information within the store page editor for your game. This is rare. If you do not have an agreement directly with USK, do not enter a USK rating.
Quoting: finaldestWhat would be needed though is an age verification body e,g PEGI to carry out the work. The best way to do this is to give any unrated game an 18 cert until its been reviewed and given the appropriate age rating.
PEGI covers a good chunk of Europe, but not Germany. They've got their own USK. Besides, Valve have already streamlined the process by not requiring an official rating (which costs time and money) and offering a single questionnaire.
Of course, developers are free to get a USK rating as well like the FAQ excerpt in the article says, which should be useful if the game is sold in Germany via other platforms or physical stores. But that takes some time and even the minimum cost of 1200 € (or 300 € for expansions of, game collections with, or "games equivalent to" already rated titles) can be a lot to some indies.
Last edited by tuubi on 3 October 2024 at 6:29 am UTC
Quoting: TarosCan I see somehow which games are invisible to me because of that?
On steamdb.info for sure. It's not yet known how exactly it will look, but probably games will get some new key like 'de_rating' and it will be searchable.
For example here are all games that have a key "foo" with the value "bar" (yes, that's actually a thing
):https://steamdb.info/search/?a=app_keynames&type=-1&keyname=338&operator=1&keyvalue=bar
Quoting: EikeHow about setting all games that are not getting set anything by developers/publishers to 18, the maximum restriction age? Would be far from being unpurchaseable...
Quoting: TheSHEEEPI'd just set all games that haven't been declared by whoever is responsible to be 18+ and be done with it.The highest ratings in Germany are unrated and indexed (well they could get completely banned, too). That is 18+ but with additional constraints, e.g. public display is not allowed. It's up to Valve to finally implement age verification.
Quoting: tuubiBesides, Valve have already streamlined the process by not requiring an official rating (which costs time and money) and offering a single questionnaire.I believe that questionnaire is from the IARC. Valve couldn't streamline the process unless it was officially allowed.
So there are glaring differences between EGS and Steam, for example. Games that are offered in the EGS from the age of 16 appear on Steam from the age of 6 and vice versa. Such blatant deviations mainly affect small indie titles. But it can also happen with larger titles.
Smaller deviations, on the other hand, are the rule rather than the exception. That's why Hollow Knight, for example, is rated 12+ on the Switch, while it is recommended on Steam (Deck) from the age of 6. Alien Isolation is recommended on Steam from 18, on the Switch from 16. The list could go on and on.
Last edited by 1xok on 3 October 2024 at 12:13 pm UTC
Quoting: 1xokThe most idiotic thing about the system: In Germany, a classification only applies per platform.That's because the platforms are stricter than the law.
So there are glaring differences between EGS and Steam, for example. Games that are offered in the EGS from the age of 16 appear on Steam from the age of 6 and vice versa. Such blatant deviations mainly affect small indie titles. But it can also happen with larger titles.
Smaller deviations, on the other hand, are the rule rather than the exception. That's why Hollow Knight, for example, is rated 12+ on the Switch, while it is recommended on Steam (Deck) from the age of 6. Alien Isolation is recommended on Steam from 18, on the Switch from 16. The list could go on and on.
The law basically states:
if gambling 18+, if not I don't care.
Each of the platforms has their own complicated rating system based on whether it contains violence, sex, drugs, etc. and they've connected it with the new German law.
EDIT:
I now realize this is probably smart.
The Germans might not be strict enough for it.
These platforms obey all enforcable laws.
If this German law is a success many different countries will introduce comparable laws, each with their local wishes:
England will limit sex in games sold to minors, France will limit violence and the USA drugs.
Last edited by LoudTechie on 3 October 2024 at 7:58 pm UTC
ContainerRunner Oct 6
Quoting: pbQuoting: TarosCan I see somehow which games are invisible to me because of that?
On steamdb.info for sure. It's not yet known how exactly it will look, but probably games will get some new key like 'de_rating' and it will be searchable.
For example here are all games that have a key "foo" with the value "bar" (yes, that's actually a thing
https://steamdb.info/search/?a=app_keynames&type=-1&keyname=338&operator=1&keyvalue=bar
There is already the restricted_countries key with SteamDB. They already use it for adult only like corn or too much violence games like Agony.
Quoting: thykrAnother ridiculous law made by pathetic tyrants. When will we stop these clowns I wonder?
Or maybe, many people are agreeing with this law. (And most people don't care for video games, especially beyond Bejeweled, in the first place.)
Quoting: thykrAnother ridiculous law made by pathetic tyrants. When will we stop these clowns I wonder?
No, just no. Limiting access to violent games to adults is very very old and pretty undisputed law here in Germany, predating digital stores like Steam by decades. Digital stores used loopholes to not comply and it's a joke these loopholes are only now closed.
There are thousands of online stores that already comply and it's up to them to decide how to implement it. As they already sell vouchers in stores, there's not even a need to send private information over the net. Buying a voucher could be implemented as a verification system, equivalent to buying booze or cigarettes.
Last edited by const on 10 October 2024 at 10:27 am UTC
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