It has become known how Wolfenstein 3D entered Germany through secret routes and was sold through adult stores

Restrictions on the display of Nazi symbols made the release of Wolfenstein 3D in Germany extremely problematic. As the shooter's creators and publishers recall, informal and sometimes downright illegal methods had to be used to ship and distribute the game in the country. Recently, Apogee founder Scott Miller revealed that Wolfenstein 3D shipments to German players effectively amounted to improvised smuggling. According to him, hundreds of orders were shipped directly to customers in discreet, unmarked boxes to avoid customs scrutiny and draw unnecessary attention to the package contents.

Developer Sandy Petersen, who also encountered the unusual situation surrounding the game in Germany, shared his recollections. He noted that local players frequently complained about the near impossibility of legally purchasing Wolfenstein 3D due to the ban on the use of prohibited symbols. As a result, the shooter could only be obtained through pirated copies or in a completely unexpected place for a video game—in adult stores, which typically sold completely different content.

These workarounds made Wolfenstein 3D part of the semi-legendary story of how restrictions on game distribution in certain countries sometimes give rise to the most unusual and unconventional delivery methods.