As PEGI is now the UK’s sole age ratings body for videogames, after the BBFC was given the boot, they’ve now shown us what parents should be gorping at.
The five age range classifications start at age three and move up to eighteen, while the background colour progresses from green, to amber, to red as they go. Colours are pretty.
With today’s ever plummeting attention spans we need colours, specifically traffic lights, to inform our elders just what will and won’t scare little Timmy. What constituents a PEGI 3, or a PEGI 16? Well, why not read the jumbo below and find out - knowledge is power.
PEGI 3
The content of games given this rating is considered suitable for all age groups. Some violence in a comical context (typically Bugs Bunny or Tom & Jerry cartoon-like forms of violence) is acceptable. The child should not be able to associate the character on the screen with real life characters, they should be totally fantasy. The game should not contain any sounds or pictures that are likely to scare or frighten young children. No bad language should be heard and there should be no scenes containing nudity nor any referring to sexual activity.
PEGI 7
Any game that would normally be rated at 3+ but contains some possibly frightening scenes or sounds may be considered suitable in this category. Some scenes of partial nudity may be permitted but never in a sexual context.
PEGI 12
Videogames that show violence of a slightly more graphic nature towards fantasy character and/or non graphic violence towards human-looking characters or recognisable animals, as well as videogames that show nudity of a slightly more graphic nature would fall in this age category. Any bad language in this category must be mild and fall short of sexual expletives.
PEGI 16
This rating is applied once the depiction of violence (or sexual activity) reaches a stage that looks the same as would be expected in real life. More extreme bad language, the concept of the use of tobacco and drugs and the depiction of criminal activities can be content of games that are rated 16+.
PEGI 18
The adult classification is applied when the level of violence reaches a stage where it becomes depictions of gross violence and/or includes elements of specific types of violence. Gross violence is the most difficult to define since in a lot of cases it can be very subjective, but in general terms it can be classed as the depictions of violence that would make the viewer feel a sense of revulsion.
Feel informed and better about yourself now? You should be.
Source: VG247
