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The annual review by the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle lists a total of 2,807 examination procedures for 2007 — 200 more than in the previous year. By far the largest proportion of game releases was also approved for younger age groups. Computer and video games that received a youth rating of 12 and over or below accounted for 60.1 percent. The most frequent age rating was ‘without age restriction’, with which 44 percent of all titles were rated. In percentage terms, games fro the ‘16 and over’ age group are in retreat. Only 12.6 percent of submissions — 15.6 in the previous year — received this rating. 5.3 percent of games were marked ‘no youth rating’. Classification was refused for 1.5 percent of submissions, compared with 1.8 percent in the previous year. Specifically, classification was refused for 42 games last year, compared with 47 in 2006.
The classification statistics:
-Without age restriction: 44.0 percent
-6 and over: 16.1 percent
-12 and over: 20.5 percent
-16 and over: 12.6 percent
-No youth rating: 5.3 percent
-Classification refused: 1.5 percent
The share of PC games in the total volume fell further to 46.5 percent in 2007. Console systems took the lead with 51.6 percent of examinations. A generational change in the console business also took place in the examination figures. The dominant console platform was Nintendo’s Wii with 12.1 percent of submissions, followed by Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS, each with a share of 9.4 percent. PlayStation 3 accounted for 5.1 percent of examination procedures, PSP reached 4.6, PlayStation 27.4 percent. Game Boy Advance played only a supporting role, with 24 products submitted for examination, while Xbox and GameCube finally disappeared from the statistics.
By genre, the USK confirms the trend towards family-friendly entertainment: dexterity games had the largest share here in 2007, with nine percent of all examination procedures. A total of 251 individual products were submitted. Second place went to game collections (246), ahead of the simulation genre (182). Shooters held fourth place with 170 titles.
‘In 2007, the USK once again helped to stabilise Germany’s strict rating system through qualitatively elaborate preparation of examination procedures. The fundamental principle of examining the entire range of games on a case-by-case basis in pluralistic committees has proved its worth,’ said USK Managing Director Dr Klaus Spieler.
