The Pan European Game Information board has announced major changes to the age classification system for video games, with stricter rules put in place in the UK and Europe for titles that include paid, random loot boxes, communication features, in-game purchases, and more.
PEGI tightens age classifications – quick links
‘Ambitious’ updates to European age classifications for video games
The biggest change by far is that all games with paid, random items – aka paid loot boxes – will automatically get a PEGI 16 rating, which means they are not recommended for those under the age of 16.
Further changes include an automatic PEGI 18 rating for games that include NFTs or blockchain-related mechanisms, and a PEGI 18 rating for those games that have ‘entirely unrestricted communication features’.
‘Games by appointment’, as in those that demand you return for daily quests and rewards, will get a PEGI 7 rating. If players are specifically punished for not returning, such as they lose content or their progress is reduced, games will be given a minimum PEGI 12 rating.
These changes will be implemented from June, with the goal of creating more knowledge and understanding for parents and children so that they can make better-informed decisions about which games they play.
‘We are confident that these ambitious updates to PEGI’s classification criteria will provide parents and players with more useful and transparent advice that better reflects the overall experience that players can expect from the video games they play,’ said PEGI Director Dirk Bosmans.
Loot box changes follow similar movements worldwide
PEGI’s decisions to overhaul its video game classification system to provide more transparency around in-game purchases and loot boxes follows similar movements worldwide.
In Australia, in-game purchases and paid loot boxes were given a determined M15+ rating in Australia in September 2024. At the same time, any casino-style, simulated gambling games were also given an R18+ rating.
At the time, the Australian Classification Board outlined a need to better inform parents, while also protecting young kids from ‘gambling harms, emotional and mental health impacts’.
In Belgium and the Netherlands, loot boxes have been restricted or banned outright due to concerns around their gambling-like elements. Brazil also recently banned the sale of games including loot box mechanics to children under 18.
The movements reflect a growing concern about the potential harm of gambling-like mechanics in media designed for children, with even collectables like card packs and Labubus recently entering the discourse.
As research has shown, there are links between early gambling exposure and later problem gambling. New legislation aims to address these concerns by providing more information for parents and kids on recommended media.
We are likely to see further changes in future, as governments continue to reckon with the harm caused by unregulated gambling and gambling-like features in online and virtual spaces.
Also on ScreenHub: Delphinium: Aussie-made cosy farming sim to be published by Serenity Forge
Cosy farming sim Delphinium, currently in development at Adelaide-based studio Cinnadev, has been signed by US publisher Serenity Forge (Homestead Arcana, Half Past Fate). The teams will partner for the release of the upcoming farming simulator, which is currently undated but expected later this year.
Early looks at Delphinium have promised a bright, kind-hearted cosy adventure guided by an ‘evolving’ narrative. With a wholesome tone and a gorgeous 2D-3D aesthetic, there’s a lot to look forward to here.
Read more …
