Censorship and what to buy: 1C/Anton please help!!!

[Widar]

I am a long-time PC fan of the "IL-2" series and really look forward to playing "IL-2: Birds of Prey" on the Xbox 360 and therefore will buy the game, so that is not the problem.

I however have one question: which country version should I buy, which is the least censored?

At the moment I am staying abroad and working in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) which has some of the most severe so-called “youth protection” censorship measures in the world when it comes to electronic entertainment (among other things). I will leave the FRG again when my work here is done.

I however can also have a friend from the Netherlands send me the Benelux (Dutch) version. The Benelux does not have censorship as severe as the FRG has. But if I wait for the Benelux (Dutch) version then I would have to wait for a few weeks before I receive a copy of "IL-2: Birds of Prey" and when I buy the FRG (West German) version I can go out and buy one copy today.

I have been touring the internet to find out if the FRG (West German) version of "IL-2: Birds of Prey" is censored and if it differs from the Benelux (Dutch) version, but I was not able to find any reliable information on this subject. I am not referring to the Austrian versions of games, which are usually less censored than the FRG (West German) ones, but are still more censored than the Benelux (Dutch) versions from what I have been able to find out.

Games that have been altered to comply to FRG so-called “youth protection” censorship for example include: HOI1, HOI2, HOI3, Rainbow six Vegas 2, BIA3, Fallout 3, COD4, COD5 etc. etc. etc. not to mention Xbox Live DLC that is blocked/altered and whole games that are unavailable such as GOW1, GOW2 etc. etc. etc.

So therefore I want to ask directly to 1C (Anton): does the FRG (West German) version of "IL-2: Birds of Prey" differ from the Benelux (Dutch) version sold in the Netherlands and if so, what exactly has been omitted/cut from the FRG (West German) version?

It may seem irrelevant, but I would like to play "IL-2: Birds of Prey" as close to what 1C is allowed to offer to its adult customers and don't feel the need as a 30+ year old to be further restricted in my electronic entertainment by complying to so-called “youth protection” FRG censorship measures, especially since I am not a FRG citizen and only staying in the FRG for the time being.

To be sure that there is no misunderstanding from a legal standpoint: non-FRG software versions may legally be owned in the FRG, but they may not be sold in the FRG by retailers. So I am not talking about breaking any laws here.

1C/Anton could you please supply some reliable information on the subject: What is the difference between the FRG (West German) and Benelux (Dutch) Xbox 360 versions of "IL-2: Birds of Prey", if any?