Computer games industry backs age ratings system

Leading computer games companies are calling on Culture Minister Margaret Hodge (pictured) to adopt the Pan European Games Information (PEGI) ratings system. The proposed implementation of PEGI will aim to protect children from being exposed to unsuitable content.

Nintendo, Codemasters, ELSPA and Mastertonic have made the recommendation in response to the culture minister’s call for the industry to reach a consensus on the best system that can be used to protect young users, following recommendations made in the recent Byron report.

The PEGI system aims to protect children from unsuitable content by acting as an authority which can assess all game content and giving it the power to prevent game publishers from distributing unsuitable content to children.

David Yarnton, UK general manger of Nintendo, says: “The PEGI age ratings system is favoured by Nintendo. It has the ability to assess and rate all game content and does not rely on a sample of game play to form its decisions.

“The fact that there is also an EC proposal for member states to adopt PEGI only adds further weight to the solid arguments and facts for its UK adoption as the sole system of choice for games ratings.”