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| Pan European Game Information | |
|---|---|
 PEGI logo |
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| Abbreviation | PEGI |
| Formation | April 2003 |
| Purpose/focus | Video game classification |
| Parent organization | Interactive Software Federation of Europe |
| Website | http://www.pegi.info |
Pan European Game Information (PEGI) is a European video game content rating system established to help European consumers make informed decisions on buying computer games with logos on games’ boxes. It was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) and came into use in April 2003; it replaced many national age rating systems with a single European system. The PEGI system is now used in more than thirty countries and is based on a code of conduct, a set of rules to which every publisher using the PEGI system is contractually committed. PEGI self-regulation is composed by five age categories and eight content descriptors that advise the suitability and content of a game for a certain age range based on the games content.[1] The age rating does not indicate the difficulty of the game or the skill required to play it.[2]
As of December 2011, PEGI has rated more than 18,000 games.[3] 50% of the games were rated 3, 10% were rated 7, 24% were rated 12, 12% were rated 16 and only 4% were 18.[4] On 30 July 2012, PEGI became the sole system for age classification of video games in the United Kingdom. As a result, games no longer have to be rated separately by the BBFC.[5] PEGI ratings are also found on some French language-video games outside Europe, specifically Canada.
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[edit]Age ratings
PEGI has five age categories.
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- 3: Suitable for ages 3 and older. May contain mild violence in an appropriate context for younger children, but no bad language is allowed. Similar to BBFC‘s U rating and ESRB‘s Early Childhood and the Everyone (low end) ratings.
- 7: Suitable for ages 7 and older. May contain mild, cartoon violence, sports, or elements that can be frightening to younger children. Similar to BBFC’s PG rating and ESRB’s Everyone (high end) and Everyone 10+ rating (low end) ratings.
- 12: Suitable for ages 12 and older. May contain violence in a fantasy setting, coarse language, mild sexual references or innuendo, or gambling. Similar to BBFC’s 12 rating and ESRB’s Everyone 10+ (high end) and Teen (low end) ratings.
- 16: Suitable for ages 16 and older. May contain explicit violence, strong language, sexual references or content, gambling, or drug use (encouragement). Similar to BBFC’s 15 rating and ESRB’s Teen (high end) and the Mature (low end) ratings.
- 18: Suitable for ages 18 and older. May contain graphic violence, including “violence towards defenseless people” and “multiple, motiveless killing”, strong language, strong sexual content, gambling, drug use (glamorisation), or discrimination. Similar to BBFC’s 18 rating and the ESRB’s Mature (high end) and Adults Only ratings.
The current design was introduced at the end of 2009. Black and white icons were used until June 2009, when the colour-coded PEGI icons were announced, with green for 3 and 7, yellow for 12 and 16 and red for 18. Plus signs were removed from the icons, and the background text changed from ‘ISFE’ from the old, black-and-white icons to ‘PEGI’ from the new, colour-coded PEGI icons.[6]
| Legend | 3 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 18 |
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In Portugal, two of the PEGI categories were aligned with the age ratings of the film classification system to avoid confusion; 3 was changed to 4 and 7 was changed to 6. Finland also used to use a modified scale, where 12 became 11 and 16 became 15. Finland fully adopted PEGI on 1 January 2007, and the standard ratings were adopted as well.
| Legend | 3 | 7 |
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[edit]Content descriptions
The eight content descriptors are:
Video games rated PEGI 12, 16 or 18 may contain content that encourages or teaches gambling. In practice, only a small portion of video games contain gambling elements (in 2011: 36 games, which is 1.6% of all games rated by PEGI that year.[8] If a game would offer the option to gamble for real money, it would be subject to specific gambling legislation in every country where it is released. Currently, none of the video games using the Gambling content descriptor contain gambling for real money.
[edit]Rating Differences and Similarities
Like other rating systems, PEGI rates video games often different from other companies due to cultural differences. Video games often receive less lenient ratings in Europe. The European audiences are less tolerant of violence than many other cultures, which often gives shooters a 16+ rating, while receiving a T (13 and up) by the ESRB and a B (12 and up) by CERO. However, many games that receive an M (17 and up) by the ESRB and a C (15 and up) or D (17 and up) by CERO are rated 16+ by PEGI. On the other hand, europeans have the same ideas about sexual content as other cultures. Sometimes, you may find video games rated lower by PEGI than ESRB. This is usually because objectionable content is censored out of the European release of a game. On rare occasions, you’ll find a game that is rated lower by PEGI than ESRB and CERO due to cultural differences rather than censoring. This is usually due to nudity-something that North American and Japanese audiences find more inappropriate than European audiences. Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, for example, received an M by the ESRB, and probably D or Z (18 and up) by CERO, while receiving a 12+ by PEGI. Despite less tolerance for violence (i.e. Any sort of discrimination, violence for towards defenseless people, or motiveless killing automatically gives a game an 18+), many fighting video games that receive a T by the ESRB and a B by CERO are rated 12+ by PEGI due to violence in a sporting context. Like the Japanese, European audiences have little tolerance for gambling and use of or reference to illegal drugs. For example, Sega Casino received a T by the ESRB and probably received a D or Z by CERO, while receivng an 18+ by PEGI. Any sort of discrimination, violence for towards defenseless people, or motiveless killing automatically gives a game an 18+. For example, mostCall of Duty series games receive an 18+ by PEGI, while usually receiving an M by the ESRB, and probably a C, D, or Z by CERO. Also, SWAT: Target Liberty was rated T by the ESRB and 18+ by PEGI. It should be noted that the previously mentioned game received T equivalents in the UK (a BBFC 12) and Australia (a ACB M). However, you will find that many video games that receive an E10+ by the ESRB receive a 7+ by PEGI. This is mainly due to the wide gap between the E (6 and up) rating and the E10+ (10 and up) rating. Many video games that are deemed too strong for the E rating are rated E10+. However, most video that are rated E10+ are thought to be appropriate for 7-year-olds in North America (Shadow the Hedgehog and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword are exceptions [both of these games were rated 12+ by PEGI, 12 by BBFC, and probably PG by ACB]).
[edit]Equivalents to the ESRB and CERO ratings
In some views, the PEGI ratings are similar to the ESRB ratings and the CERO ratings.
3 = Equivalent to the ESRB’s EC (Early Childhood) and E (Everyone) ratings, and the CERO’s A (All Ages) rating.
7 = Equivalent to the ESRB’s E10+ (Everyone 10+) and the CERO’s B (Ages 12 and older) rating.
12 = Equivalent to the ESRB’s T (Teen) rating and the CERO’s C (Ages 15 and older) rating.
16 = Equivalent to the ESRB’s M (Mature, 17 and up) rating, and the CERO’s D (Ages 17 and older) rating.
18 = Equivalent to the ESRB’s AO (Adults Only, 18 and up) rating, and the CERO’s Z (Ages 18 and older only) rating.
[edit]PEGI and the European Union
The study “Video gamers in Europe – 2008” made by Nielsen Games, demonstrates that PEGI age ratings labels are recognized by 93%. 62% are aware of a European game rating system, 50% recognize the content descriptors and 49% of parents find the age rating label system useful when buying a videogame.[9]
PEGI is an example of a European harmonization. The European Commission supports the PEGI self-regulation: “PEGI appears to have achieved good results and PEGI On-line is also a promising initiative, making of PEGI a good example of self regulation in line with the better regulation agenda.“[10] Moreover, the European Parliament in its last report on protection of consumers “takes the view that the PEGI system for rating games is an important tool which has improved transparency for consumers, especially parents, when buying games by enabling them to make a considered choice as to whether a game is suitable for children.“[11]
[edit]Rating Process and Boards
To obtain the ratings for any piece of software, the applicant submits the game with other supporting materials and completes a content declaration,[12] all of which is evaluated by an independent administrator called the Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media (NICAM). It is based on the Dutch Kijkwijzer system as well.[13] Following the evaluation the applicant will receive a license to use the rating logos. If the applicant disagrees with the rating, they can ask for an explanation or make a complaint to the complaints board. Consumers may also make complaints to this board.
Although PEGI was established by an industry body (ISFE) the ratings are given by a body independent of the industry and the whole system is overseen by a number of different Boards and Committees. There is the PEGI Council, composed mainly by national representatives for PEGI, that recommends adjustments to the code in light of social, legal and technological developments. Members of the PEGI Council are recruited for their skill and experience from among parent/consumer body representatives, child psychologists, media specialists, civil servants, academics and legal advisers versed in the protection of minors in Europe.[14]
There is also a Complaints Board with experts from various European countries. They deal with complaints related to breaches of requirements of the code of conduct or to age rating recommendations. Should a complaint be received from a consumer or publisher regarding a rating given to a game and no satisfactory settlement can be reached by the PEGI administrator through discussion, explanation or negotiation the complainant may formally request the Complaints Board to mediate. Three board members will then convene, hear the complaint and decide on a ruling. Publishers using the PEGI system are bound by the decision of the Complaints Board. Consequently, they are obliged to carry out any corrective actions required and, in cases of non-compliance, are subject to sanctions as laid out by the code.
[edit]PEGI Committees
There are three committees; a criteria committee, a legal committee and an enforcement committee.
- Criteria Committee: The Criteria Committee is made up of representatives from ISFE, NICAM, VSC and the industry. It works on adapting and modifying the PEGI questionnaire and the underlying criteria to take account of technological and content developments and recommendations made by the Advisory Board or circumstances brought to light by the complaints procedure.
- Legal Committee: Since PEGI is a voluntary system it runs in conjunction with, and is subordinate to, existing national laws, whether they prohibit certain content or establish mandatory rating systems. The Legal Committee’s role is to advise ISFE of any changes to national legislation within participating countries that could have an impact on the voluntary age rating system.
- Enforcement Committee: The Enforcement Committee is charged with implementing the recommendations of the Advisory Board and, more generally, of ensuring the enforcement of the provisions of the PEGI Code of Conduct, including conclusion of the Complaints Board. The Enforcement Committee is made up of ten members, five of which are publishers, and five of which are chosen from the PEGI Council.[14]
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