New games classification model reduces BBFC's powers as pan-European ratings win out
The Government has heralded a new future for UK video games classification – with PEGI becoming the sole age ratings model in the region.
The news came as part of Labour’s Digital Britain report this afternoon, amd upheld the hopes of UK publishers who wished for the Pan-European PEGI ratings to be given a role as the single industry-standard classification – reducing the BBFC’s influence.
The new, single-classification system will replace the current hybrid model that has two separate sets of symbols – PEGI's alongside the BBFC's.
The Video Standards Council (VSC), has also been handed a new role. The independent organisation will take a statutory role, with a mandate to implement the PEGI classification system for all video games in the UK.
The Government will now work closely with PEGI and the VSC on the development of a single, clear set of age-rating symbols to give parents the information they need to ensure that children are protected from unsuitable content, and help retailers to avoid breaking the law by selling games to people below the appropriate age. The new system will consist of five age categories and a series of pictorial boxes, describing content such as bad language or violence.
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Byron said:
“In my review to Government I identified the need to improve the video games classification system. I identified some fundamental criteria including making games suitable for 12-year-olds and above subject to statutory control. I also said the system had to have child safety at its heart and have the ability to adapt to future challenges. All these criteria are important for ensuring that parents have the tools they need to make informed choices and keep their children safe.
“The PEGI system has been strengthened since my review and the Government has consulted widely on each of my suggested criteria. I support the Government’s decision to combine the PEGI system with UK statutory oversight.”
BBFC director David Cooke added:
“The BBFC has always supported PEGI and wished it well, but it continues to believe that it satisfies these requirements better than PEGI. However, it will cooperate fully in the detailed work needed to give effect to the Government’s decision. And it must be independent in substance as well as appearance, reaching its decisions and providing information on the basis of its own detailed assessments.”
The results go against the recommendations put forward by Dr. Tanya Byron in her Review of the industry l2 months ago.
The industry has been in consultation with the Government since that report – with publishers attempting to convince Ministers to gift PEGI more power in reaching their final decision.
The Digital Britain report, headed up by Lord Stephen Carter, aimed to ‘secure the UK’s digital future’, and maximise the country’s economic online potential.
The report had previously 'disappointed' some industry members for appearing to ignore video games altogether.
Comments
PEGI
this is ridiculous imho. I used to work for a video rentals and game store, from a parents point of view and a retailers point of view, the BBFC certifications always carried more weight. Be it visual impact on the shelf, when a child tries to hand the game to a parent to buy, or when the product was handed to the retailer.
The large red 18 logo was clear, and easily recognisable, the PEGI ones were always seen as a guide and not law, it will take a while for this trend to change. The only way i can see this working is if the PEGI symbols are updated and made much clearer and defined. In my opinion the age ratings need to be brought into line with other media standards (15 - 18) and the guide logos (Horror, racial themes etc) need to be better publicised, otherwise this move will catch out more innocents than stop people trying it on.
On the other hand though I don't believe games are as harmful as people say, so i guess my ranting is to protect the retailers not the consumers.
Parents
The ratings were never the problem, it's the stupidity of parents. I was stood in a local independant retailer, and a child of six was stood holding a copy of an 18 rated title, which the parent then handed over to the clerk.
There is nothing that can be done about that. Parents will continue to think games are for kids, and the attitude only changes when they hear a bunch of obscentities coming out of little timmy's mouth. Then its all games are evil, until the next time they buy a one.
No matter what rating is used, you cant educate the idiots.
It is but it isnt
So is it Pegi or is it a Pegi VSC hybrid?
Will it differ from European wide Pegi?
Push Push Push
Pegi, the government and the games industry need to IMEADIATELY start promoting the age classifications and restrictions, be that through Print, TV, Cinema, Radio, Internet etc. There shouldn't be any confusion of what this means for consumers and retailers.
PEGI Vague
Is the PEGI system still going to be as confusing to parents as it is now ? Some parents think that PEGI is a rating to tell you the difficulty of a game. So if it has a 3+ rating my little jimmy of 4 years will be able to play, but how many 3-4 year old game players are there out there playing games, especially som of the "3+" games, especially ones like FIFA ?
Would be good if they had the one of the older guideline systems added that showed a recommended age, ie a kids game like Peppa Pig "suitable for all", game like Resident Evil 18+, and a game like FIFA "Suitable 5+
The curent system too vague and the people it is aimed at do not 100% understand what guidelines it gives, ok yes the symbols work but the age ratings is too often confused. Many a time we have had to explain why a game has a 12+ or 15+ rating, because it contains shooting or possible offending music lyrics, etc...
Well Done Pegi
Great - never liked BBFC
good
Good to have a distinction between Games and Movies.
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