Border shooting game sparks controversy in Germany close to the reunification’s anniversary

Border shooting game sparks controversy in Germany

BERLIN — A video shooting game set along the Berlin Wall, which used to divide the city into east and west, is sparking controversy, as its release was meant to coincide with the 20th anniversary Sunday of Germany’s reunification.

Axel Klausmeier, director of the Berlin Wall Foundation, said Friday that the game, which features a border guard shooting at fugitives, mocked the suffering of the relatives of those who died trying to escape communist East Germany.

Jens M. Stober, a 23-year-old programmer, defended his game, called “1378,” saying it was not merely about killing, but aimed to make people question what happened along the border at that time.

Stober’s university in Karlsruhe said it had decided to postpone the game’s release until December.