Tag Archives: pegi

An Assassins Creed-themed PEGI video hit Danish television this week, of a man dressed as Altair telling parents about violence and the appropriateness of certain games for their children.

This isn’t all the Danes have done to bring parents up to speed, however. A website entitled Mediarådet (Media Advice) has been set up with a special section relating to video games. There’s stuff in there for kids to discuss with their class at school and lots of help and information for adults about how to recognise what games are suitable for their children.

There’s even an article that looks philosophically at the question of whether games are harmful or not. Surprisingly, it’s one that doesn’t jump to conclusions and recognises that there are differing opinions on the matter, and even links to a research note that outlines the empirical data collected so far.

You can see the PEGI video down below, and hopefully soon we’ll be getting some English equivalents on British television before too long. Although, in fairness, the British Government did give itself until autumn 2008 “to begin raising awareness of videogame ratings to the general public.”

The sooner the better.

By Mike Bowden

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ELSPA put out a press release this morning dripping with quotes from “senior leaders of the UK and European video games industry” that supports PEGI as the sole rater of UK games.

“The Government’s proposed changes will create extra administration and cause delays in getting hit games into the hands of British consumers,” said EA UK boss Keith Ramsdale. “Only PEGI is built to address the fast changing nature of the games industry and is best placed to deliver the needed protection for minors.”

There’s tons more after the break. As you’ll recall, the Byron report recommended a two-tier system of ratings in the UK, with the BBFC handling censor duties for older games.

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Destructoid‘s reporting that BBFC’s David Cooke has said that PEGI ratings are given by “a couple of blokes.”

The quote comes from an interview with The Times newspaper, where Cooke says, “The trouble is that it is not clear who PEGI is. Administration is handled by the Dutch film regulator, who subcontracts to a couple of blokes [the Video Standards Council] in Borehamwood.”

This latest statement in the ratings board wars comes just a week after Cooke asked PEGI to stop slagging off the BBFC.

More mundanity through the Destructoid link.

By Mike Bowden

BBFC boss David Cooke’s responded angrily to recent concerns over the affects of Byron Report proposals that will lend the body responsibility to rate all adult games.

Both EA and Microsoft have hit out at the plans, saying games are likely to become later and more expensive in Britain. Not so, said Cooke.

“The BBFC’s current average turnaround time for games classifications is eight calendar days. In terms of international comparisons, this is notably quick. There is no reason why the increased role for the BBFC envisaged by Dr Byron should lead to delays.”

He added:

“The games industry really does have nothing to fear from a set of proposals which would provide more robust, and fully independent, decisions, and detailed content advice, for the British public, and especially parents. The Byron proposals, far from envisaging the collapse of PEGI, specifically provide for a continuing PEGI presence in UK games classification. They also provide significant opportunities to reduce duplication of effort and costs. And they would make wider use of a system, the BBFC’s, which British parents recognize, trust and have confidence in.”

Press release after the link.

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Speaking at Gamehorizon in Newcastle this morning, Microsoft’s XNA boss, Chris Satchell, has said that user generated content can be responsibly rated by an audience of its creators’ peers – and doesn’t need any intervention from the BBFC or PEGI.

“PEGI and the BBFC simply are not going to be able to rate community content. We have to work out a way to police ourselves to avoid huge regulatory pressure,” he said. “The core of Creators Club Online take it very seriously. If you give the community tools, they act responsibly.”

More on MCV.

A piece of Nielsen research has shown that in the UK, 37 percent of those aged between 16 and 49 describe themselves as “active gamers,” defined as currently playing games on a console, handheld device or PC.

The report found that the same is true for 28 percent of the population in the same age range in Spain and Finland.

Included in the research was a rather dubious fact that 93 percent of those questioned across 15 countries in Europe recognised PEGI symbols.

Press release after the link. Thanks, Maxconsole.

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Speaking to GI, BBFC director David Cooke has moved to assure the games trade that the people now responsible for rating games in the UK are well into them, like. So much so, in fact, that he’s claimed the BBFC’s testers are better gamers than those at European organisation PEGI.

“The point I want to get across about this is I’ve got people in this building, about ten examiners who do games, and these are some of the best gamers I’ve ever come across and these are people who are passionate about games and know a great deal about it,” he said.

“I know the PEGI testers as well, and I think the people here have a greater expertise and knowledge of games.

“The thing that’s getting lost in this argument is that we actually like games and we’re enthusiastic about games and we do buy into the argument that some games are beautiful and aesthetically satisfying. Bioshock and Shadow of the Colossus and so on.”

Well, we’re not convinced, David. We’ll only be happy when you prove the BBFC’s worth in a Halo deathmatch against PEGI. You can pwn them. Send them to school. All that shizzle. Let us know when you’ve set it up, yeah?

PEGI boss madman Patrice Chazerand has come to the ridiculous conclusion that people should stop thinking about competition between the BBFC and PEGI and focus on how the two ratings bodies can work together for the good of the British people.

“I don’t know if I’m being too visionary, but I think we should stop thinking in terms of competition and start thinking more in terms of cooperation,” he said. “You’ve heard me say that if asked what my preference is, and what the industry has said, that PEGI would be the single ratings system, but as long as the government takes on board the Byron recommendations, you’re confronted with a situation where you have to cooperate.

“I think it’s a different logic to that of competition – I would say that productive cooperation, the one envisioned by Tanya Byron to better serve the interests of the UK, would be true cooperation – not competition.”

We’re not sure what the hell you mean by public services working towards a safer society as opposed to playing a pathetic game of oneupmanship instead of doing some work, but we’d thank you to keep your opinions to yourself, Patrice.

Someone in British ratings might take note and stop fighting tooth and nail for money and power.

And where would we be then?

Here. EA boss Keith Ramsdale still thinks PEGI’s the best choice to rate UK games, despite confirmation that the BBFC will be rating all games meant for 12 year-olds and over in the wake of the Byron Report.

“As an Industry we have been unanimously clear that there should be a single system and that system should be PEGI,” he said. “PEGI is an efficient system to help people make appropriate content choices for players of all ages. A Nielsen study showed PEGI has 94% awareness with the UK game-playing public and it follows a tougher regime than the BBFC. In 2007 PEGI gave 47 titles an 18 rating but BBFC downgraded 21 of those to 15 or less. We believe that UK consumers will be far better served with this system and this route would offer the most practical, efficient and compliant system.”

He added: “EA believes PEGI is the most suitable system for rating video games. EA and the wider Industry have and will engage with the appropriate Government departments to ensure the right decisions are made in the best interest of the British public.”

Changing the mind of the Government? Good luck.

According to this, the BBFC will now rate all games in the UK meant for gamers over the age of 12.

From the piece:

Under [Byron's] proposals, backed unanimously by DCMS Minister Andy Burnham and DCSF Minister Ed Balls, the UK film censor’s well-known symbols will be on the front of all game boxes for games rated ’12′, ’15′ and ’18′.

At the same time PEGI will continue to rate all other games for children – ’3+’ and ’7+’ – with its symbols on the back of boxes.

The news comes following the release this morning of Tanya Byron’s report on games and internet use regulation in the UK. More through the link.

Blimey. Looks like not buying a PS3 may be an actual error soon. These games are taken from PEGI’s site as being rated for PSN, so there’s no further information or release dates yet, assuming these are coming out for the download service at all.

• Bust a Groove (Other/Music games)
• Crash Bandicoot 3 (Action/Platform)
• Colony Wars (Action/Platform)
• Cool Boarders 2 (Sports/Extreme Sports)
• Cool boarders 3 (Sports/Extreme Sports)
• Destruction Derby 2 (Racing)
• Devil Dice (Puzzle)
• Everybody’s Golf (Sports/Golf)
• Klonoa (Action/Platform)
• Kurushi Final (Puzzle)
• Motor Toon Grand Prix (Racing)
• Namco Museum (Other/Mini game Collection)
• Namco Museum 2 (Puzzle)
• Namco Museum 4 (Puzzle)
• Omega Boost (Action/Shooter)
• Ridge Racer (Racing/Arcade Racing)
• Ridge Racer Type 4 (Racing)
• Rollcage (Racing)
• Spyro: Year of the Dragon (Action/Platform)
• Tekken 2 (Fighting/Beat-Em-Up)
• Tekken 3 (Fighting/Beat-Em-Up)
• Twisted Metal (Racing)
• Vib Ribbon (Other/Music games)
• Wip3out (Racing/Futuristic Racing)
• WipeOut 2097 (Racing/Futuristic Racing)

Giving evidence to a Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee today, Matt Lambert, Microsoft’s head of corporate affairs in the UK, said that the PEGI ratings system was better than the BBFC version.

“If there’s going to be one ratings system, it should be PEGI,” he said. “With PEGI, they think very carefully about age appropriacy… but the BBFC is set up to rate films, and it takes that approach for games when a different approach is required.

“PEGI breaks it down to a different level. If there’s bad language it will give you a specific symbol, if there’s gambling there’s another symbol, and some games will have a whole raft of symbols on the back. It’s a different depth, it’s more sensible, and it also has a European aspect to it.”

The news is likely to cast fear into the hearts of games makers, who are banking on Tanya Byron to recommend that a new ratings agency is set up in the UK in her government report next month, as opposed to all games being rated by the BBFC.

The BBFC has admitted is doesn’t know what Tanya Byron’s going to recommend in her report to the government about UK games regulation next month, but has said that it’s prepared to take on the job of classifying all games for Britain is necessary.

“We don’t know what Dr Byron is going to recommend, but we’d be prepared to take on the role of classifying all games if that’s what’s decided,” said BBFC spokesperson Sue Clark, adding, “BBFC is a rating people understand from film and DVD, so it might give parents a bit more piece of mind… It would mean a bigger workload – but that’s our problem, not the industry’s – and we know we could handle it.”

Clark’s comments came after PEGI today said that a move away from the current, voluntary rating in the UK would be a “step backwards”.

The Byron Report, which is thought to recommend that all British games should be rated with a cinema-style system, is to be filed with the government next month.

The Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) isn’t happy over reported plans to change UK games classifications, saying that bringing in a cinema-style system to handle regulation would be a “step backwards”.

“I would resent the idea of equating games to movies,” said ISFE director general Patrice Chazerand. “It’s a step backwards. If we are to see a move to movie-like classification, I would see it as a mistake. But I cannot speak for the UK public – or the government. If your Government goes for a national solution over a pan-European one, I would take it as a blow to PEGI and not a reflection of the industry being global.”

The notion of a new classification system being brought into the UK was widely reported two weeks ago, when the UK’s national press leaked information supposedly contained within the Byron Report, a government-commissioned paper on the nature of violent games and suggested measures to regulate them.

The report, compiled by ex-TV psychiatrist Tanya Byron, is to be delivered next month.

Following this week’s news that wary glances are being cast behind the scenes of Tanja Byron’s upcoming report, British national daily The Guardian is this morning carrying, “Ministers plan clampdown on ‘unsuitable’ video games” as its main headline.

The story mirrors earlier reports this week in that it claims the Byron Report is to recommend a legal classification system for all games, but goes into further detail about plans to advise parents to not allow children to play games in their bedrooms and to only let them use computers and games consoles in places where the screens are clearly visible.

According to the piece, “A legally enforceable, cinema-style classification system is to be introduced for video games in an effort to keep children from playing damaging games unsuitable for their age… Under the proposals it would be illegal for shops to sell classified games to a child below the recommended age.

“At present only games showing sex or ‘gross’ violence to humans or animals require age limits. That leaves up to 90% of games on the market, many of which portray weapons, martial arts and extreme combat, free from statutory labelling.

Ministers are expected to advise parent to keep computers and games consoles away from children’s bedrooms as much as possible, and ask them to play games in living rooms or kitchens facing outwards so carers can see what is being played.”

The report doesn’t mention the BBFC as being the body to handle a new classification system, instead leading with a strap of, “New rating scheme devised.” Currently, only a handful of games are classified by the BBFC, with most in the UK carrying the voluntary PEGI rating.

The Byron Report, due next month, includes a lengthy review of studies into the effects of games on children, and has been discussed with the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Ministers are now said to have a “sense of the report’s direction”, said the Guardian’s piece, on which the article is based.