Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle

USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle)
Headquarters Berlin, Germany
Area served Germany
Services computer game ratings
Website http://www.usk.de/

Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (Self-Monitoring of Entertainment Software, abbreviated USK) is the organization responsible for computer game ratings in Germany.

Ratings

Freigegeben ohne Altersbeschränkung gemäß § 14 JuSchG (Without age restrictions)
There are no restrictions on the basis of the Jugendschutzgesetz on the sale of this game. The suitability for children, however, only relates to violent or sexual content - the difficulty or complexity of the game may still be unsuited to younger children.
Freigegeben ab 6 Jahren gemäß § 14 JuSchG (Restricted for those below the age of 6)
Games with this rating may be of an abstract or comical nature, may have a darker theme or may be too involving for children under the age of 6.
Freigegeben ab 12 Jahren gemäß § 14 JuSchG (Restricted for those below the age of 12)
Games with this rating may place a focus on wars or fighting of some description, or contain mild lyrics and suggestive themes. The fighting should be in a historical or science fiction context and the violence should be kept to a minimum.
Freigegeben ab 16 Jahren gemäß § 14 JuSchG (Restricted for those below the age of 16)
Games featuring frequent one-on-one gunfights and moderate violence (no visible blood) will receive this rating. The game may cover adult themes.
Freigegeben ab 18 Jahren gemäß § 14 JuSchG or Keine Jugendfreigabe gemäß § 14 JuSchG (Restricted for those below the age of 18)
These games may contain scenes of brutal, moderately bloody violence.

In the German gaming community, the USK is very unpopular and often accused of censorship, since games that are refused classification may be listed on the List of media harmful to young people (colloquially known as the “Index”) by the Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien (BPjM). This process is known as “indexing”, upon which the titles may only be sold on request to adults over the age of 18, and are not to be advertised in retail stores or any other media. It is forbidden to supply them to minors. Hence, games with a USK 18 rating are not necessarily uncut, due to distributors striving for a rating. For example, the German version of Grand Theft Auto III does not feature headshots and is less gory, as well as having some weapons or their special effects removed. Some publishers like Microsoft choose not to cut their games (e.g. Gears of War) for a rating and do not release these games in Germany at all.

Unrated games are treated like titles with a USK 18 rating (educational software excluded), as long as they are not indexed.

Up to April 1, 2003, any game with a USK rating could also be indexed.

External links