The Dying Light franchise is in full swing, with Techland pushing the 10th Anniversary Celebration in all its glory. Having sat down with us to discuss that and the larger picture of the franchise, including Dying Light: The Beast, Tymon Smetkala also responded regarding the longtime ban of the original Dying Light being banned digitally in Germany, and the studio’s potential fixes for it.
Dying Light’s Ban
A game being banned is nothing new these days. Depending on the country and the reason though, some are more understandable than others. One of the more confusing ones is how the original Dying Light is still banned, all these years after its 2015 release, and what can be done to reverse that.
For those not in the know, the original Dying Light was banned in Germany back when it released, but only via digital platforms. The reason the German government gave is a simple one, and a well-intended one. Due to the violence towards human enemies (Rais’ men), they wouldn’t allow the sale of it to those who couldn’t have their ages authenticated. This is why it’s available physically (you can show ID after all), but digitally, it’s all too easy to spoof your age and circumvent it.
Ten years later, the game is still banned digitally, and when speaking to Tymon Smetkala about the 10th Anniversary Celebration, it seemed only right to ask about the current state of the ban. Considering the game’s age and Techland’s understandable shift in priorities towards upcoming titles like Dying Light: The Beast. It seems that’s not the case though:
We’re aware of the situation and the community’s desire to see Dying Light available in Germany. We’re exploring our options, but we also want to stay true to the game’s vision. If we can find a path that respects both, we’ll pursue it.
With ten years having passed since the original ban being put in place, Techland can not officially lodge an application to have it lifted. Of course, the chance of Techland being able to remove the ‘offending content’ is zero-to-none, as that’d mean removing all the human enemies and a large part of the story, but with law changes and the softening of the way they’re interpreted as time goes on, there’s always the chance that the German government may well see things differently now.
Of course, with Dying Light: The Beast soon-to-come, as well as “Multiple unannounced projects” that will “go beyond video games with new board games, exclusive merchandise, original webcomic series, and more”, it’s unlikely Tymon Smetkala and Techland as a whole are putting too much energy behind this, but it’s always nice to see a developer that cares not only about that what is coming, but also about what they’ve the projects that came before. If the Dying Light 10th Anniversary isn’t proof of that, then the above really should be.
For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out how we’ve been missing an obvious detail in Dying Light: The Beast’s announcement trailer, or everything you could need to know about The Last of Us Part 3.
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Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
