EA: Byron regulations may delay games for UK

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 25th 2008 at 6:15PM }

Electronic Arts' UK general manager, Keith Ramsdale, tells GI.biz that the proposed game rating alterations asked for in the Byron Review will delay game releases in the country. Ramsdale believes the changes are an "unnecessary layer of administration" to the process. The main change requested in the Byron Review is that any game above a 12+ certification would need to be reviewed by the BBFC; currently the organization only takes on games flagged to have sex, violence or criminal activity.

Ramsdale asks that the government poll consumers on the matter. Meanwhile, publishers continue to back the continent-covering PEGI system. As it has stated before, the BBFC is financially compensated by publishers for its work, and so doesn't expect to encounter problems when hiring more staff to keep up with a greater influx of games. So, not only will the group hire more people to keep up with the work load, but the new rules would also be a cash boom for the organization.

Tags: bbfc, byron, byron-report, delay, pegi

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Titanium_Orchid @ Jun 25th 2008 6:37PM

I'm interested to know what criterion the BBFC could reject a game on.

I feel sorry for my British peeps. Games in the UK are already more expensive as compared to the US (I'm pretty sure). I imagine importing black listed games would drive the price up even more.

Hopefully FPS will make it pack the BBFC. I always like running into Britons online. They seem to be more mature than the average American player.

nyro519 @ Jun 25th 2008 6:49PM

im sorry but i feel the oposite about mature british players. the majority of them that I encounterded were in tom clancy games(europeans love them some tom clancy)like rainbow six vegas and all they ever do is trash talk about americans. now im not saying that all british are like this , i am just unlucky enough to play with a bunch of immature players

SytheMaster @ Jun 25th 2008 6:45PM

Well since pretty much every game has violence surely they're already rating most games people reading this blog would care about...

Slammed I Am @ Jun 25th 2008 6:56PM

im sorry but i feel the oposite about mature british players. the
majority of them that I encounterded were in tom clancy
games(europeans love them some tom clancy)like rainbow six vegas and
all they ever do is trash talk about americans. now im not saying
that all british are like this , i am just unlucky enough to play
with a bunch of immature players

Jhongerkong @ Jun 25th 2008 7:06PM

"EA: Byron regulations may further delay games for UK"

Fix'd

Joe @ Jun 25th 2008 7:21PM

So let me get this Europe already has to wait later to play games that came out in another part of the world that got the game a year ago and now they want people to wait longer for games. To me this is sick. People will start importing a lot more if they have not already. So this sucks for every one.

Markusdragon @ Jun 25th 2008 7:30PM

This is just corporate wobbly-throwing on the part of EA. They don't want to have to send all their PG-or-higher games to the BBFC for testing (the PEGI only require a questionairre to be filled), so they're going to throw a tantrum until they get their way.

Rosssas @ Jun 25th 2008 7:52PM

Fuck sake! Smash Bros aint even out yet, and theres the chance now i will have to wait longer !! Am i missing something or does japan still think we are stuck in the middle ages?