USK stands for Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle which is a rather imposing mouthful. So we'll just stick with USK for this article. USK is in charge of rating games and slapping a sticker on them. Germany has chosen to exempt itself from PEGI though the basis of the ratings are very similar. Germany only uses a five level rating system which makes it easier than some of the others. There is no English language version of their website which makes navigating it difficult if you don't know German. http://www.usk.de/ So I broke down the whole system for you here. 

Of note is the fact that companies must pay a small fortune when they submit a game for a rating. Of course Germany is a mass consumer for videogames so the profit potential is far more than the 1500 Euro or so.

Freigegeben ohne Altersbeschränkung is the All Ages rating in Germany. It is represented by a white diamond with the USK symbol. There is no restriction on the sale of these games. But the rating is only in relation to violence and sexual content and not about how the game actually plays. So while the content may be unoffensive the game itself might be too difficult and unsuitable for younger children. Recent games with this rating include: PDC World Championship Darts 2008 and Grisu, der kleine Drache (Grisu the small dragon), George of the Jungle and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

Freigegeben ab 6 Jahren means that this game is not suitable for those under the age of 6. It is represented by a yellow diamond with the USK logo and a large 6 at the top. They generally have some content that might be too high level for children under 6, too violent or abstract. These games may also have some darker undertones. Recent games with this rating include: Spiderwick, Megaman ZX Advent, Pimp My Ride, Need for Speed Prostreet and Aquadelic GT.

Freigegeben ab 12 Jahren is, you guessed it, games not suitable for children under 12 years old. It is a green diamond with the USK logo and a large 12 in the top. Most likely a game gets this rating due to stronger violence including war and fighting. The fighting must remain in a purely historical or sci-fi vein and violence should still be fairly limited though the game can actually be focused on fighting. Recent games with this rating include: Burnout Paradise, The Lord of the Rings Online - Shadows of Angmar, Avencast - Rise of the Mage and Strategic Command 2 - Blitzkrieg.

When the game is too strong for those under the age of 16 it gets a Freigegeben ab 16 Jahren rating which is represented by a blue diamond with the USK logo and a large 16 at the top. Games with this rating generally have some suggestive themes and content. Additionally there may be moderate violence and the game may feature a lot of gunplay in a kill or be killed situation. This is probably the lower limit for most FPS games I imagine. Recent games with this rating include: Darkness Within - In pUrsuit of Loath Nolder, Strategic command, Sudden Strike 3 and Beowulf.

If the game is too harsh then it gets the red diamond and is proclaimed Freigegeben ab 18 Jahren. No-one under the age of 18 may purchase the game. These are the violent, bloody, and sometimes brutal games which may even "glamourise war" and show the violation of human rights. Recent games with this rating include: Conflict: Denied Ops and Frontlines - Fuel of War. Of note is the fact that these are the only 2 games in the last 50 rated to receive the 18+ rating. 

What I found really interesting in my research were the laws surrounding Nazi symbolism and such. That will be the subject of a second article later today which you won't want to miss.

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