Crytek Threatens to Leave Germany

German development studio Crytek has threatened to set up shop in another country if violent videogame production is banned is banned in their homeland.

Recently, the Conference of Interior Ministers had agreed to a ban of the production and distribution of violent videogames in Germany. Since then, the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs has been working on a "less drastic" law regulating games, but Crytek's contingency plan remains in place. "We would leave Germany," Crytek Founder Avni Yerli said bluntly.

The unusually confrontational response is fueled by Crytek's status as a top developer, both internationally and particularly in Germany. The company's 2004 debut release Far Cry received acclaim for its lush, sprawling outdoor environs and technical prowess, while its latest effort, Crysis, looks set to raise the technological bar even further. As a result, Crytek can afford to flex its muscles a little.

"Budapest is a lovely city. We already have a branch office there," Yerli said, adding that the company has also been approached by the ministries of economics of other nations, notably England, Scotland, Austria and Singapore.