The Byron Review’s proposal to increase the BBFC’s responsibilities has caused disappointment at PEGI HQ – but the classification body has stressed that its strength online will show the industry the way forward.

EU affairs manager at PEGI parent ISFE Jürgen Bänsch told MCV that the BBFC system is ‘decades old’ – but the two bodies will be working closely together on web-based initiatives.

“Our 2007 Nielsen survey showed UK awareness of the PEGI system was higher than 80 per cent, so we were obviously not pleased when we found out that the Byron Review recommended the decades-old BBFC visuals as better fit to inform consumers,” he said. “However, PEGI does not lose visibility completely and this is an opportunity to secure its methodology in the UK classification system.”

And whilst the PEGI system will be scaled back in the UK, the ratings body remains confident in its prospects online.

“As the games industry is moving more rapidly towards the online environment, PEGI Online was built as an addition to PEGI and has now a leading edge in this field,” added Bånsch.

“PEGI has built up an extensive expertise with a specific tailor-made methodology which complements an existing rating system for passive media in almost all European countries.”