European Age-Ratings Body PEGI Raises Age Limits for Loot Box Games to 16
The European video game age rating agency PEGI has begun raising the age ratings of digital games featuring paid random items, such as loot boxes, to 16. According to Connor Hinde of the Games Rating Authority, the rollout is taking place throughout October following an expanded set of criteria introduced in June. Games affected by the shift include the EA Sports FC series and HoYoVerse action game Zenless Zone Zero.
Key points
- PEGI started raising age ratings for digital games featuring paid random items like loot boxes to 16.
- The rollout takes place throughout October following updated criteria introduced in June.
- Affected titles include the EA Sports FC series and Zenless Zone Zero.
- The policy update applies specifically to digital-only games.
What Happened
The European video game age rating agency PEGI has started raising the age ratings of digital games featuring paid random items, such as loot boxes, to 16. The rollout is expected to occur throughout October, as reported by Connor Hinde of the Games Rating Authority on LinkedIn.
Hinde stated that newly submitted games have been assessed against an expanded set of criteria within the PEGI rating framework since June, including criteria relating to interactive risks. As the UK administrator of PEGI, the Games Rating Authority has begun applying these updated criteria to selected existing digital products.
Context
Existing digital-only games previously rated PEGI 3, 7, or 12 that feature paid random items now receive a rating of PEGI 16 with a paid random items descriptor. Titles experiencing rating increases include the EA Sports FC series, which was previously rated PEGI 3, and HoYoVerse gacha action game Zenless Zone Zero, which moved from 12 to 16.
This shift follows an announcement from March indicating that PEGI would address games featuring loot boxes, microtransactions, addictive game mechanics, and unmonitored online communication in order to better align with modern gaming practices.
What Comes Next
The rating updates began this week and will continue through the month of October. Publishers and developers with questions or concerns have been advised to contact the PEGI helpdesk.
Because this ruling impacts digital-only games, PEGI notes that it remains largely up to parents to monitor the games children are playing and to understand how in-game monetization may affect them.
Why it matters
The rating increase signals to parents and players that a game's monetization may involve paid random items, though the policy applies exclusively to digital-only titles.
What we know
- PEGI has started raising age ratings of digital games featuring paid random items like loot boxes to 16.
- The rollout is expected to continue throughout October.
- Newly submitted games have been assessed against expanded criteria including interactive risks since June.
- The EA Sports FC series and Zenless Zone Zero are among the games seeing rating increases.
- The policy change applies to digital-only games.
What remains unclear
- Other digital titles like Monopoly Go may see their ratings change due to the inclusion of randomized sticker packs and boxes, though Monopoly Go still appeared rated as a 9+ on the Apple games store at the time of reporting.
How the story developed
PEGI begins raising age ratings for loot box games
The Games Rating Authority announced that PEGI has begun updating age ratings for digital games with paid random items to 16.
Original source
