The modern Wolfenstein series is equal parts grim and campy, exploring some very dark subjects with over-the-top bombast. It doesn’t shy away from adult material, and honestly I’m not sure which of the following facts is more surprising: that Wolfenstein 2 was originally set to feature full-frontal Hitler penis, or that developer MachineGames was convinced not to pursue the idea.
“We wanted to actually show Hitler’s penis as well when he was peeing,” studio head Jerk Gustafsson says in a new Noclip documentary, “but that was something that was a little bit too much. So we decided to skip that one.”
OK, let’s back up a bit. If you’ve played Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, you’ll probably remember the Hitler scene. The Nazi leader presides over a casting call for a film vilifying protagonist BJ Blazkowicz, and spends much of the scene coughing, vomiting or peeing – when he’s not randomly murdering the hapless actors around him.
Creative director Jens Matthies says the concept for this depiction of Hitler was to be “extremely physical, like the opposite of spiritual.” That’s why the scene places such emphasis on Hitler’s apparently failing health and bodily functions. It’s also where the idea of actually showing Hitler’s penis came from.
“I had this idea that, well, maybe we just see it, you know,” Matthies explains. “I was Slacking with Todd Vaughn, VP of production of Bethesda at the time, and I was like, ‘Uh, do you think there would be a problem if we see Hitler’s penis?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t advise doing that.’ I was like, ‘Ah, you’re probably right. Maybe that’s too much.'”
“It’s important to find the line,” Matthies laughs. “We all need to be saved from ourselves sometimes.”
With or without anyone’s penis, Wolfenstein 2 is still one of the best FPS games ever made.
