PEGI gets more official in UK, will be legal 'by Christmas'

by Ben Gilbert { Jun 19th 2009 at 4:00PM }

Like a butterfly, moments before emerging from its cocoon, the European game rating system PEGI is now only months from becoming the UK game rating standard. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, PEGI chairman Andy Payne (no relation to Max, as far as we know) said that the fawncy new rating logos should be on packaging by the end of year holiday sales season.

Due to government recess from mid-July to October 12, the Video Standards Council -- the folks in charge of PEGI in the UK -- can't be handed the reins of UK game classification just yet. "In terms of making it absolutely law ... that won't happen until the autumn at the earliest, and there's a whole load of things that have got to happen before that," Payne said. He does, however, expect the process to go through "before Christmas," so those of you chompin' at the bit to get your eyes on some new game classification stickers will just have to hope St. Nick's feeling generous.

Tags: elpsa, england, game-ratings, gamesindustry.biz, pegi, ratings, UK, video-standards-council

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jay Voorhees @ Jun 19th 2009 4:10PM

I think the Black Panthers might have soemthing to say about that trademarked violence lable...And what about games that contain gay sex? Those must not be offensive or distasteful and therefore render a "3" rating.

Storm Eagle @ Jun 19th 2009 4:35PM

It almost looks like one of the posters that goes up in inFamous if you're fighting the good fight.

Aguiluz @ Jun 19th 2009 4:57PM

Butterflies, eh? More like wasps.

Volkodlak @ Jun 20th 2009 6:09AM

There's already a descriptor for sex, I'd imagine gay sex would use that... and no, it's not offensive or distasteful, if there's no other violent content I'd imagine they'd get a 16 or even a 12.

Tre (formerly known as digitaltre) @ Jun 19th 2009 4:15PM

I wonder if he has any relation to Curtis...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Payne

Uncontrol @ Jun 19th 2009 4:58PM

I'm amused that there's apparently some magical catharsis you go through between 16 and 18 years old.

[tre] @ Jun 19th 2009 11:41PM

That's easy. You have a so called "sweet 17" and BAM! You're legally a man (or a lady).

I don't know how I picked that up and I'm 12. Oh, now I remember. Stupid MTV did it to me. I remember because it was on when I wanted to watch TRL in December.

Kyle @ Jun 20th 2009 3:13PM

That's like saying there's a difference between being 17 and 18 in regards to drinking, or 15 and 16 in regards to sex (in the UK at least). It's a flaw with all age related laws, not just games.

Justin Graziano @ Sep 12th 2009 2:28PM

I say the same thing, an age based rating system will ALWAYS ALWAYS FAIL. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MAGICAL NUMBER. PEROID.

Nikos @ Jun 19th 2009 5:13PM

But...
"online" in the same list that :
sex, violence, drugs, fear, ...

Stupid people...

notworksafe @ Jun 19th 2009 5:42PM

Actually it sorta makes sense. "Online" could simply mean that anything could happen or be said in online text/voice chat.

Kinda like "Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB"

Crimson Major @ Jun 19th 2009 5:37PM

So people with poor eyesight can be forgiven for thinking that a game contains symbols, short black people and tall white people, syringes, spiders, dice, men and women, fisting and skynet?

Damn... sounds like the best game ever :O

twolfer @ Jun 19th 2009 10:45PM

look at the symbol for discrimination....

why does it have to be 2 whilte guys and one black guy?

discrimination can work both ways people...

Kyle @ Jun 20th 2009 3:14PM

At least now people can't say that the content descriptions are hard to understand. Anybody who doesn't get these is officially a moron. That said, I'd bet good money that it'll still happen.

igtica @ Jul 17th 2009 12:16PM

I find this news incredibly frustrating. I work in a games shop part-time and it hard enough work to get parents to pay attention to the BBFC ratings.

I have more of a chance of getting parents and guardians to understand the problems with the content for those younger than the certificate, if it is a BBFC rated game, because of that recognition. PEGI ratings tend to be ignored completely or I get more hassle from a parent for not serving someone due to following a PEGI rating.

As part of my job I'm asked to explain why a game has a certain rating to an adult that is buying a game for a younger person. There are so many parents that still think that a game can't be as bad as a film of the same rating. As a gamer since a young age I find this ignorance increasingly frustrating, as I believe many games to be worse than films of the same BBFC rating (not only the content, but the subversiveness that interaction can create is scary too). I don't want to stop people making their own decision, but I don't think that many parents really comprehend what they are buying and exposing their children to.

With this is mind it makes absolutely no sense to go 'backwards' and make only PEGI official. If anything games should have only BBFC ratings as it has a wider recognition and would aid to try and changed this incorrect dated mindset of the populous.