Matrix Games Forums

Why are Swastika in this game ?I think normal flags are better.


V.

What do you mean by normal? Swastika was on german flag at that time.

Quite correct the Third Reich's flag was the Swastika. Maybe it is the ridiculous german banning of the Swastika, also in games!

ORIGINAL: Vorsteher
Why are Swastika in this game ?I think normal flags are better.

Actually, I thought we took the Swastikas out before release, as we do for all our games that are also sold in Germany. Where are you still seeing swastikas in-game?

ORIGINAL: comrade
What do you mean by normal? Swastika was on german flag at that time.

Very true, but since we sell worldwide we have to take into account the German law which bans their use.

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins


Actually, I thought we took the Swastikas out before release, as we do for all our games that are also sold in Germany.

Matrix' lack of sensitivity is blatantly anti-semitic.
And this from a New York-based company? The shande!
I'm shocked and outraged.

ORIGINAL: BoredStiff
Matrix' lack of sensitivity is blatantly anti-semitic.
And this from a New York-based company? The shande!
I'm shocked and outraged.

There is a difference between political avowal and wargaming which I consider as sort of virtual reenactment. Any alteration is disturbing my sense of immersion and censored games I usually mod to historical accuracy if possible. I'm German as well and noone here cares about swastika's in a game, as long as one is adult and keep this private on his pc. It's just forbidden to show it in public and that for sure implies to put those games on a vendor's shelf. Fortunately all titles are meanwhile available as download versions and since the boxes not showing any nazi symbols on the cover, German authorities don't feel committed to interfere. At least I never got any problems with receiving a game.

That being said I dislike censorship and being happy that other countries take a different approach on this issue. And I know a lot of gamers turning down German versions for the original when they have the choice.

I agree.  The presence of a Swastika in what is clearly a historically-based game is no different then the display of photos containing Swastikas in a history book about the period, IMO.  Surely they don't doctor such photos in Germany today?  The film Downfall, set in Hitler's bunker, was produced in Germany for the German market and I'm sure it had Swastikas all over it.  My mother lost 95% of her family in the Holocaust, but if I am playing a WW2 game I definitely want to see the Swastikas displayed.  In fact, they are one factor that makes the game 'real', if you know what I mean.  The devs should always include an optional free download file containing these images, and a disclaimer to say that you use them at your own risk and subject to local laws etc.
 
The line would only be crossed, IMO, if you were to produce an alternate history, contemporary or science fiction game which included Nazi symbols and could therefore be seen as glorifying Nazism, or promoting the concept of a revival of the political movement.

I agree, but based on some conversations we've had in the past with folks in Germany, we've decided to err on the side of caution. Note that the graphics are quite moddable and there are quite a few "historical swastika flag mods" for various of our games.

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Vorsteher
Why are Swastika in this game ?I think normal flags are better.

Actually, I thought we took the Swastikas out before release, as we do for all our games that are also sold in Germany. Where are you still seeing swastikas in-game?

I don't have the game, but they do show on your screenshots on the product page. Maybe you have removed them from the but the screenies on the site are from elsewhere?

There are no swastikas in any of the graphics files, and I have noticed none during game play.

I think they saw them in the screenshots. I think those may need to be updated.