GDC08: learn to say USK the German way!
by Richard Mitchell 
{ Feb 21st 2008 at 5:30AM }
While attending the Gamerscore Blog Meet-and-Eat this evening we were fortunate enough to run into Boris Schneider-Johne, part of Microsoft Germany's Xbox team and an all around amiable man. After a long conversation about the cultural differences between German and American gamers (they love their Catan over there), we eventually settled on the topic of the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK), Germany's software ratings organization. While it's often hard to wrap one's head around the particulars of the USK, one difficulty outweighs all others: how exactly do you say Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle? Boris was kind enough to set us straight in the audio clip below. Just don't ask us to repeat it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ganrob @ Feb 21st 2008 5:51AM
I like his blog, smart guy...
Mustafa @ Feb 21st 2008 6:12AM
Boris is one of the handful of guys who single-handedly built the German game journalism market with "Happy Computer", "Power Play" and "PC Player" magazines. I think Boris was also involved in the translation of a number of LucasArts adventures to German. A really cool guy, not your standard PR dude.
Toast @ Feb 21st 2008 7:35AM
Not only involved, he did Maniac Mansion, Zak McKracken, Indy 3 and Monkey Island 1 all by himself, only translating MI2 and Indy 4 he had some help from Heinrich Lenhardt, the other legendary creator of German gaming journalism, as "Advisor for Stupid Jokes". ^^
I grew up with their magazines, and I'm glad they didn't disappear.
Doc Bobo rawks! ^^
gLitterbug @ Feb 21st 2008 12:50PM
I fondly remember watching the weird selfmade videos on the PC Player CD's. Always been my favorite thing back then. Also helped you to connect with the people writing up the reviews and stuff. Compared to having some name and maybe a photo and thats it.
Mustafa @ Feb 21st 2008 1:33PM
This is really interesting. Joystiq seems to be frequented by a number of Boris Schneider and Heinrich Lenhardt connaisseurs & fans, counting myself in and adding Winnie Forster, Michael Hengst, Martin Gaksch and Julian Eggebrecht to the mix :)
Some of you might be interested to know (if you are not already) that Heinrich is the head behind MMO online and print magazine http://www.buffed.de (with vids!). With Heinrich, Boris and Winnie all being located in Bavaria, we should talk them into a meetup at a bar or cafe somewhere (in Munich) ;)
Here are the links to their blogs (in German):
http://www.lenhardt.net
http://www.dreisechzig.net (dreisechzig = three-sixty, figures given Boris' job at MS)
Shieru-sensei @ Feb 21st 2008 8:36AM
The problem, as some of you might gather, is not wether the USK/BPjM are doing their jobs right. It is a political one. In germany, the public is extremely sensitized after two high school shootings, during which, in almost every media, computer games were blamed because of violence. The public television stations, which are tax-financed to enable "free, impartial media" in germany (at least in theory) are run by extremely conservative government boardmen and are infamous for their coverage of "Killerspiele" ("killer games", meaning both games where you kill and which could make YOU a killer). There is public discussion by high-ranking german politicians to imprison whoever produces such a game for up to 2 years. There was talk about PUNISHING POSESSION OF VIOLENT GAMES ANALOG TO (and yes, this analogy was used by several politicians in public!) CHILD PORN!
So yeah, the whole USK/BPjM think is nuts and hypocritical. But I take that over anything that might become of the german rating system instead. Even now, Germany has the strictest Video-Game-Laws of all of Europe. And even now, it is not enough for some.
ogvor @ Feb 21st 2008 10:46AM
Some of us love our Catan too!
normaly not @ Feb 26th 2008 5:32PM
coming from germany i just laughed my ass off - and i wanna hear every one of my favourite podcasters to give it at least one shot in (on?) the next cast. cmon, its not like you are too professional for this kind of playground-dare, right? :)
best podcast ever btw!!!!11elf