Authors

Discussion

When a former pupil committed a school shooting at the Gutenberg Gymnasium in Erfurt on 26 April 2002, this caused a change in the public attitude towards digital games and was a turning point in the history of the LAN party scene in Germany. It intensified ongoing moral debates about violence in digital games, which have recurred since Death Race in 1976. In Germany, in these discussions, often termed ‘killer game’ debates, the game Counter-Strike became a focal point.

This paper investigates the history of the LAN party 'Das große Beben 5' to analyse the influence of moral debates on the evolution of Germany’s LAN party scene. To this end, it explains the history of the moral debates surrounding digital games, presents the history of 'Das große Beben 5' in the context of the school shooting and analyses the narratives of the time and their impact. Using interviews with contemporary witnesses, digital archives, and media reports the paper contributes to a deeper understanding of how moral debates have shaped the development of digital subcultures, addressing a gap in research.

LAN parties, gatherings where participants connect their computers to play digital games in a local network, were deeply intertwined with the moral debates. The LAN party scene thrived in Germany between the mid-1990s and early 2000s with some parties becoming mass events. One of these was the LAN party 'Das große Beben 5', which was to take place in Erfurt from 3 to 5 May 2002. However, it was cancelled by the city authorities in the aftermath of the school shooting. Contemporary witnesses remember this as a pivotal moment in LAN party history, as it was feared that the subculture would come to an end if further parties were cancelled due to the ‘killer game’ debate.

Many members of the LAN party scene viewed the ‘killer game’ debate as politically motivated and fuelled by sensationalist media misrepresentations. Violence in digital games was dismissed as harmless. The perceived stigmatisation and the feeling of powerlessness in the face of this reinforced prevailing narratives. On the one hand, the media portrayed digital games as harmful. On the other hand, gamers perceived digital games and themselves as being prejudged. Yet, the narrative of the contemporary witnesses, linking the cancellation of 'Das große Beben 5' to the ‘killer game’ debate, must be questioned.

The case of 'Das große Beben 5' illustrates how digital games are interwoven with contemporary history. As part of the digital transformation, they have consistently carried political significance, transcending the mere practice. In the GDR, digital games were seen both as a threat due to Western influence and as a potential economic saviour. Post-reunification, digital games fostered networks between East and West German gamers, exemplified by this LAN party. Finally, cultural debates like the ‘killer game’ controversy shaped entire generations.