PEGI becomes UK standard for ratings, other organization gains power to ban games
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Jun 16th 2009 at 3:40PM }
The whole situation sounds even more confusing than the BBFC vs. PEGI issues that we've been reporting on for years. Speaking of the BBFC, the organization will no longer be involved in the classification of games, which is sad -- the group did give us some uncomfortable laughs over the years.
We're still not exactly clear on how the UK's new rating system works, but according to Baroness Shepherd, president of the VSC, the group will exercise its "new power independently of the PEGI system, providing a 'fail-safe' for the UK - protecting children through PEGI and addressing UK-specific sensibilities by refusing classification of any game which falls foul of the Video Recordings Act. This decision is the right one for consumers in the UK."
We'll see.
Source -- PEGI becomes UK standard for game ratings
Source -- VSC given power to ban videogames
Source -- VSC given tough powers for non-compliance of PEGI system
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Storm Eagle @ Jun 16th 2009 4:07PM
Let me be the first to say "I'm sorry" to the folks over there in the UK.
deanb @ Jun 16th 2009 4:11PM
An EU, PEGI is "Pan-EUROPEAN Game Information" We've now dropped BBFC, VSC have always been her, so its not like it's out with BBFC and in with VSC even though the article almost makes it sound that way.
Now BBFC just do films n PEGI stick to games, so it's great for UK gamers.
Storm Eagle @ Jun 16th 2009 4:15PM
Yeah, but maybe I'm ready it wrong, but with the BBFC out of the mix, doesn't it make it easier for games to get banned over there? Or am I reading this whole thing wrong? The article (atleast to me) makes the PEGI sound like the bad guys.
deanb @ Jun 16th 2009 4:18PM
PEGI are good guys, as far as dev's n gamers are concerned. They specialize in games rating (even if it's mostly self-ratings) and BBFC was a film ratings, and in UK is legally enforceable, so a game or film with an 18 rating is only allowed to be sold to 18 yr olds or older. PEGI is now enforceable by law, which was the only thing it used to be missing. VSC can ban games if they want, but BBFC only ever banned a few in its tenure as game rating overlord, so we're not talking German and Australian levels of censorship, in fact we're pretty lax over her in UK, GOW is a PG :D
Joe @ Jun 16th 2009 6:35PM
What are you referring to with GOW? Because Gears of War and God of War are both BBFC 18 in the UK.
deanb @ Jun 16th 2009 6:43PM
Was referring to both, I know there 18, I was aiming for some /humour, but I failed miserably. Just attempting to get across that UK gaming ratings are kinda lax, and nowhere near German n Australian even for the supposed nanny state we are.
But if I rememebr my Neo Cortex you have no funny bone in you.
ArchiGamer @ Jun 16th 2009 4:10PM
To all in the UK, sorry.
PS36Wii Fanboy @ Jun 16th 2009 4:28PM
And the cycle continues....(Read post on top of you...)
PS36Wii Fanboy @ Jun 16th 2009 4:29PM
Oh I feel like an idiot, fail on my part lol.
Poisoned Al @ Jun 16th 2009 10:37PM
Eh why? This is better then the old system. Still the VSC sounds a bit crap. It's just there to please the right-wing fuck-heads that read the Daily Mail, becuase we can't have Jonny Foreigner deciding what we can and can't have can we? I guess we can adopt the US system that sneaks in censorship though the back door, seeing how no retailers will touch anything with an "adult" rating.
*insert jingoistic reply here*
Hirmetrium @ Jun 16th 2009 4:30PM
Well shoot.
The BBFC is a great organisation and they do a very good job. They do a very good job on rating finished games. Theres almost no downside, and the system is so well recognised in British culture its foolish to stop it dropping ratings.
Not only that, but having a BRITISH board rate games for BRITAIN is far more effective than having a bunch of crazy, tight, europeans do it. I mean, can you really expect a bunch of guys based in france to have the same values a bunch of brits would?
deanb @ Jun 16th 2009 4:41PM
With PEGI its the game company that rates their games, so a bunch of crazy Frenchies may rate an Ubisoft game, but then you have Molyeneax rating his games, The Scottish rating GTA games(oh god, this will be fun :D)
The Baron @ Jun 16th 2009 5:59PM
So a system where game companies can just put whatever rating they want on their own games has been ensconced into British law?
Corbo @ Jun 16th 2009 6:16PM
As I understand it, the devs submit information on the game to PEGI, or rather to an independent board in the Netherlands. The Dutch, while quite crazy, aren't exactly tight, but that doesn't really matter much here. If you compare the ratings on most games, the BBFC and PEGI tended to give pretty much the same age ratings anyway, and PEGI simply adds more information with its pictograms. The only difference between the systems that'll matter much to consumers is that the BBFC had a 15 rating whereas PEGI has a 16.
As for recognisability, all it really boils down to is looking at a number, comparing it to a child's age and allowing them to have it if their age is greater than the number. I'd hope that most people, European, British or sufficiently well-trained monkey, could cope with that regardless of which system they're familiar with.
Bones3D @ Jun 16th 2009 6:49PM
"This decision is the right one for consumers in the UK."
Wow, so the *consumers* finally gets to decide something for themselves? Way to go, guys! Maybe the rest of us stuck in "won't anyone please think of the children?" land will finally get to relax.
Bandit5317 @ Jun 16th 2009 7:31PM
I still maintain that it's the parent's responsibility to prevent their kids from playing games they're too young to be playing, not the government's.
Poisoned Al @ Jun 16th 2009 10:43PM
I like how these articles forget to mention that the ratings are pretty much worthless here in the UK. Kids just get their parents to buy it, assuming the guy behind the counter even enough of a shit to stop them. Yes it's law, but it's one of those laws most of the population just ignores.