Video Game Regulation and Rating Systems

European consumers of video games are encouraged to make informed decisions on buying computer games with logos on games' boxes, through a company that was established and came into use in April 2003 known as PEGI (Pan Europian Game Information). However, the rating system only became legally enforcable in the UK in 2009 after the government decided to drop the parallel ratings system run by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) to help parents/families make the right decision in choosing games which are age appropriate for their child. In other words it's 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. These descriptors include bad language, drugs, discrimination, fear, gambling, sex, violence and online gameplay with other people.

There were many various rating systems that were in place before PEGI was introduced, which replaced all of these with a single system for the whole of Europe. The main reason for the change over was for the importance of child safety and "having a dual classification system and two sets of symbols often made things confusing for the consumer", stated by Profesor Tanya Byron from the Byron Review in which the newly in place system was formed through suggestions from this.

After the legalisaton of the system in July of this year, it meant that retailers could be prosecuted through fining for example of up to £5,000 for selling games to people that were clearly not aproppriate for the content that would be available to them in that particular game (under the ages of 12, 16 or 18). Although it was formerly illegal to sell games to children under the classified age ratin and game content beforehand, the new PEGI rating system law could mean not only prosectution but endangerment to their profit and sales as they now have to monitor who they sell their games to, which could reduce sales massively.

Huge alterations in the development of games may also take place as violence, explicit language, drug use and gambling whithin games may have to be severely reduced to enable the sales of games and profits in general. This however, could mean the end to huge Blockbuster/AAA games such as the Grand Theft Auto franchise which rely on such content to excite consumers, push game boundaries and overall make it appealing for young adults to buy the games for it's capabilities. Without these types of games being available for sale, may result in a loss of interest in a huge portion of the gaming community who generate masses amount of money by buying these types of games for entertainment and allowance to violent actions within the games. Also the rating system only makes it illegal for sales to children under the age rating classification and does not restrict their parents buying it for them, so it only provides a choice for parents and doesnt actually fully stop underaged children from playing such games with excessive violent content, so is it really effective to achieve it's aim??