We explain everything you need to know about the PEGI label in video games and its meaning.
If you have bought a video game or have seen a trailer for a title that interests you, you may have seen or heard the acronym PEGI. It is a system of age rating to determine fundamental aspects of a video game and the target audience. If you don’t know exactly what PEGI is, what it influences and what is its role in the sector, here we tell you everything you need to know so that you do not have any questions about it.
Created in 2003, the PEGI system (Pan European Game Information) is a standard used to classify video games, informing users if they include sensitive content. Additionally, depending on that content, PEGI labels include an age recommendation ranging from 3 to 18 years, useful for parents to better decide when buying a game for their children.
Currently, the PEGI system is used in more than thirty European countries, adapting the standard to its own regulations. The PEGI classifications are granted by an independent body of the video game industry itself, which brings together experts of all kinds: from parent and consumer organizations, to pedagogues, child psychologists or academics. After the game has been evaluated by the PEGI Council, there is a Claims Council or Complaints Committee that deals with breaches of the code of conduct, mediating between consumers, publishers and the PEGI system itself. If you have any questions about the PEGI labels or the meaning of the symbols that appear on them, here we detail them all.
All PEGI labels and what they mean
On the one hand we find some labels with a series of icons that work as content descriptors, indicating to future users what they will find within the games. Thus, we can find the following notices:
- Violence (represented with a fist). Indicates that the game contains representations of violence, which is graded based on the age tag.
- Bad language (represented by a comic book speech bubble). Indicates that the game contains adult language, always graded based on the age label.
- Fear (represented with a spider). In games with a PEGI 7 age classification it indicates that it contains images and sounds capable of frightening young children, a warning that goes up to 12 years in those games classified as PEGI 12. It is important to emphasize that the “fear” warning does not imply that the game contains violence: only refers to sounds, images or horror effects.
- Games of chance (represented by dice). It indicates the presence of elements that can promote gambling, which are represented in a very similar way to how we would see it in a casino or a gaming room.
- Sex (represented by the male and female gender signs). Depending on the age recommendation that comes with it, the notice will indicate if only sexual positions and innuendo appear (PEGI 12) or if the game contains explicit sexual activity (PEGI 18).
- Drugs (represented with a syringe). Indicates that the game contains images or allusions to illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
- Discrimination (represented by three human forms). Indicates that the game may contain representations of ethnic, gender, religious, or nationalistic stereotypes that may encourage hatred.
- In-game purchases (represented with a credit card). Games with this notice are games that offer players the ability to purchase goods and services within the game for real money. These transactions can range from loot boxes to subscriptions, upgrades, upgrades, or purely cosmetic items.
PEGI codes by age and content type
On the other hand, the PEGI system establishes a age rating which aims to serve as a guide for consumers and especially parents who buy video games for their children. It is important to note that the PEGI age rating It does not indicate the difficulty of a game, but whether the content of the title is appropriate or not for a child or adolescent of that age. These are the age labels that we can find in the vast majority of European countries:
- PEGI 3– The content of the game is suitable for all age groups and does not contain items that may scare or disturb young children. It may contain mild violence, but only in a humorous context or in childish settings.
- PEGI 7: The game is suitable for ages 7 and up. Some game content, such as scenes or sounds, can scare young children. It may contain some forms of mild violence, always in a non-detailed and non-realistic way.
- PEGI 12: The game is suitable for ages 12 and up. It can contain slight swear words, gambling or sexual innuendo, as well as violence of a more graphic nature, of course, always towards unrealistic characters.
- PEGI 16: the game is suitable for ages 16 and over. The representation of violence is similar to what we could see in real life, like the bad words. Similarly, tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs may appear.
- PEGI 18: The game is not recommended for minors. Violence is represented crudely and openly, even towards defenseless characters. There may also be some glorification of drugs or sexual activity.
Tips for Parents and How to Follow the PEGI System
According to figures from PEGI itself, between 2003 and 2017 its system evaluated a total of 29,143 titlesViolence being the most common content descriptor followed by foul language and fear. Of this total evaluated, a little more than 50% have been classified as PEGI 3 or PEGI 7, while 7.4% have been classified as PEGI 18 and 13.3% as PEGI 16.
Thus, we can say that the control that PEGI exercises over the video game catalog is absolute and strict, helping millions of parents to be calm and informed about the titles their children play.
PEGI’s goal is none other than promote transparent and realistic parental control, functioning as one more tool to ensure a safe environment for fun. Thus, parents must be able to self-regulate their children’s play based on the information provided by PEGI, which conforms to industry standards and the criteria of professionals.
Finally, to say that PEGI proposes a series of tips for parents that include, in addition to reviewing the PEGI labels, setting limits and times of play, joint play between parents and children and additional supervision for those titles that include online gaming and contact with unknown people.
Related topics: Multi platform
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