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The largest German video games developer Crytek is threatening to move abroad if production of so-called killer games is banned. "We would leave Germany", said company founder Avni Yerli to Welt online before the start of the branch trade show Games Convention in Leipzig.

The Conference of Interior Ministers (IMK) of the countries had unanimously decided on a production and distribution ban for violent computer games for the first time in the end of May. The responsible Federal Ministry of Family Affairs is presently working on a less drastic draft of a law for the protection of children and youth. Instead of only the previous "violence glorifying" games, also the "violence dominated" games should be indexed by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM) in the future. These may then no longer be advertised and sold to youths.

Crytek already has specific contingency plans. "Budapest is a lovely city. We already have a branch office there", explained Yerli. In addition, they have been regularly approached by the ministries of economics of other countries. "Especially England, Scotland, Austria and Singapore."

Video games are considered to be a significant sunrise industry. According to a survey of the consulting firm PWC, the market will grow from 31.6 billion dollars in the previous year to 48.9 billion dollars by 2011. England and France have more recently especially supported native companies for this very reason. If Crytek moves abroad, Germany would lose their affiliation to the world's elite, since presently there is no other internationally competitive games studio in existence.

Crytek became popular with the ego-shooter Far Cry, in which enemy soldiers must be killed. The company sold 2.5 million copies of the game, at 45 euros each. The Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons blacklisted the first Far Cry version. Crytek subsequently neutralised the game. Crytek will be presenting his new ego-shooter Crysis at the Games Convention. The development budget has been quoted at being o