Advertisement
New ratings logos green-lit for UK News
PC
PlayStation 2
Xbox
PSP
DS
Xbox 360
PlayStation 3
Wii
News
by
Johnny Minkley
In the wake of confirmation that PEGI will be the sole system for rating games in the UK, the body has unveiled the final design of its new logos.
All games released in the UK will feature one of five age classifications - 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18 - with 3 and 7 shaded green, 12 and 16 amber and 18 red. A new 'traffic light' system was originally proposed last year, after recommendations made by that nice lady off the telly Dr. Tanya Byron.
Though circular in the original proposal, the final logo designs are square, which is believed to be due to the BBFC - yesterday unceremoniously relinquished of its games ratings duties - objecting to similarities with its own widely-recognised logos.
Meanwhile, PEGI's (frankly still-confusing) black and white doodles of clenched fists, speech bubbles and the like are to be retained to provide consumers with extra info on content.
This game has drugs, sex, violence, gambling, fear, discrimination, bad language and online gameplay. A full house.
It's not clear exactly when the new logos will adorn games packaging, but ELSPA boss Michael Rawlinson said everyone would be pulling double shifts down t'pit to ensure "smooth and rapid transition".
As a result of yesterday's decision, jobs losses are expected within the BBFC. A source told Eurogamer that this was expected to number "up to 10".
Advertisement
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
Poster
|
Triggerhappytel
17/06/09 @ 09:59
0
They still look shit. They need a bit of colour to make them noticeable - much like the red on the BBFC ratings, as it goes. In fact, just keep the feckin' BBFC ratings, because parents won't know to look for/won't understand these.
|
|
AphoticCosmos
17/06/09 @ 10:03
+1
Yay for adding some fucking colour to the age ratings, took them long enough, but there needs to be a HUGE chart in every game shop displayed by law to explain just what the hell each one of those icons means. I understand them, but I suspect that most people buying GTA V for their 7-year old in a few years wont have the foggiest clue.
|
|
Kazzahdrane
17/06/09 @ 10:14
0
As a result of yesterday's decision, jobs losses are expected within the BBFC. A source told Eurogamer that this was expected to number "up to 10".
7/10 jobs to go at BBFC confirmed! |
|
Bilbo_bobbins
17/06/09 @ 10:15
-3
not one parent will understand this at all.
IDIOTS for changing from BBFC. It makes more sense to have the same ratiings for all media. what is going on in these fat cats head? NOt much, thats what. |
|
Twin_snakes
17/06/09 @ 10:21
0
I thought that they were putting boxes with info in writing on the back of the cases as well, i could have swore they had it on their website.
|
|
Triggerhappytel
17/06/09 @ 10:24
+1
"the discrimination icon is racist in itself as it implies it only happens one way..."
Yeah, I thought that when I saw it yesterday. God forbid they could have a white person singled out by two black people! |
|
0
"the discrimination icon is racist in itself as it implies it only happens one way... "
Reminds me of that episode of South Park where they object to the flag because it's a white guy hanging a black guy, so they change it to a string of colours hanging the guy. Turns out the kids objected to a person being killed, they didn't even regard the race. Point being I wasn't sure what that meant until you said, I just saw 3 guys. Should've just had a picture of Mel Gibson ;) I'm kidding, I'm sure he was sincerely sorry for any offense he caused. |
|
Sunyavadin
17/06/09 @ 10:57
0
People only look at BBFC logos - they are the SOLE recognised body in this country. Nobody has even HEARD of PEGI OR knows what their logos are, especially these new ones - WTF????
I honestly thought this was a late april fool when I saw the logos. The recognisable BBFC colours and shapes EVERYONE spots. They stand out. This is a deliberate attempt to get more underage game sales. *Edit* Okay, gonna make my best guesses about the icons, top left to bottom right: Online connectivity, A red Faction game, Frustrating Unsuitable for Arachnophobes, Contains wholesome heterosexual relationships, Possibly addictive Ethnically diverse (Unsuitable for BNP members), Randomised, Online services provided by PEGI
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 17/06/09 @ 12:02
|
|
kinky_mong
17/06/09 @ 11:03
0
So they ignored the part of the Byron Report stating that parents thought the discrimination icon meant multiplayer mode? Well done all concerned.
|
|
AphoticCosmos
17/06/09 @ 11:21
+1
"Also, what is there not to understand? A colour coded age box on the front of the case? It isn't exactly rocket science."
Nobody doubts that the age ratings are easy to understand, but the additional information logos are still a bit convoluted to say the least. The discrimination one in particular is rubbish. |
|
0
Well done EG for confusing the issue; the logos which are key ones to look at are linked to in the article and are very easy to understand.
However EG dediced not to put pictures of them in the article (agenda to push much?) rather preferring to put the content logos which everybody in european ignores anyway.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 17/06/09 @ 12:28
|
|
GiarcYekrub
17/06/09 @ 11:27
0
What is the dice one for? gambling? is that contains scenes of gambling? contains gambling with in game money? or real world money gambling?
|
|
0
"This game contains fear."
Yes it's stupid, all we need are Universal and 18-rated if that, but I imagine in Pegiland you could have a game that's 3+ but has scary things in it. I love the discrimination one though. Isn't that almost every fucking game? I've wiped out a goblin cave in Oblivion and the game rewarded me! |
|
Slipstream
17/06/09 @ 11:58
0
This game has drugs, sex, violence, gambling, fear, discrimination, bad language and online gameplay. A full house.
Enjoying GTA IV then? |
|
makeamazing
17/06/09 @ 12:04
0
So going from a game with one logo with a cert (eg. 18) to many different ones and colour coded... yay I love it when someone convinces whoever is responsible for this decision to change it.... I would have loved to have been there... perhaps there were some money being passed under the table.
|
|
0
im waiting for the first court case involving parent who buys gta (insert number here) for their little jonny
would of made more sense to me to use the bbfc ratings - the icons are a bit silly though, i know they want to use things across europe but sometimes its just better to write things out than draw them |
|
0
I think it's hilarious that the icon for discrimination is itself discriminatory. There should be warning logos to warn about the warning logos. :D
The warning is also repeated in text on games boxes I've seen and these icons are in addition to an age rating (which the eurogamer article itself states). It's just providing an additional amount of information to help parents decide about games. The purpose of the Fear icon is specifically to warn that the "Game may be frightening or scary for young children" you may not need it but parents will appreciate it. |
|
0
@paulf
im waiting for the first court case involving parent who buys gta (insert number here) for their little jonny would of made more sense to me to use the bbfc ratings - the icons are a bit silly though, i know they want to use things across europe but sometimes its just better to write things out than draw them You don't think the red "18" icon in addition to the icons for Violence, Drug use, Bad language and the extended consumer advice that says "Suitable for people aged 18 and over. Contains: extreme violence, criminal techniques, glamorisation of crime, strong language" and so on will be enough to warn a parent? |
|
+1
Some people here have a very unique UK-centric view on this issue
[Quote]IDIOTS for changing from BBFC. It makes more sense to have the same ratiings for all media.[Quote] You clearly don't know what you are talking about. PEGI is based on Kijkwijzer the Dutch equivalent of the BBFC. The idea is to get one rating system for television, movies and games. (allready in use in some countries) You find the symbols unclear, a recent survey in the countries where PEGI is been used shows that 90 procent finds Pegi useful and 70 procent uses it. The article is unclear, the age ratings are very simple, with a simple number which represents the age rating |
|
0
But the problem is that in the UK we've been using the BBFC icons for such a long time that short of a massive/expensive marketing campaign explaining the new system this is just going to add to an already confused topic.
Parents already don't understand that video games are rated just the same as films. At least before, they could see the 18 certificate BBFC logo and they might connect this with a film rating (something that they are much more familiar with). I'm afraid the result of this is just going to to be even less parental responsibility for the games that their children are allowed to play, and ultimately its going to do nothing to discourage the at times hysterical media campaign against the video game industry.
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 17/06/09 @ 23:21
|
|
YourMessageHere
17/06/09 @ 12:44
0
It's supremely unimportant what the logo on the box looks like. What is significant is getting the game-buying public to understand the fact that legal ramifications are now in force just as with films - I don't know the details of this legislation, but if there's not some sort of requirement to display something explaining the age ratings, and in fact the content logos, much as there is in shops that sell alcohol and tobacco (and films? I've seen BBFC ratings explanation posters in shops often but I don't know if there's any legal impetus behind that) then this all seems a bit toothless still.
|
|
0
Indeed, ELSPA was great, I miss them. Surely it would have been better to have the BBFC continue to rate them. They're generally fair and relatively lenient (compared with the censors in countries with a similar moral 'standard' as the UK) and everyone recognises the BBFC logo.
Also I'd much rather have one little BBFC logo on the front of the box than the PEGI logo and those stupid spiders etc. |
|
Mentalist(air)
17/06/09 @ 13:05
0
The colouring is logical and it's instantly recognisable what they mean.
Their green and amber are far too silimar for red-green colourblind people, in my opinion. The green ought to be a bit whiter, and possibly the orange a bit deeper, in order for them to stand out properly. Not that it will bother me much in practice, since I can read numbers, and I'm provably over 18 anyway. But that sort of lack of consideration gets on my nerves. Forza 1's supposedly revolutionary racing line indicator was useless to me, since I couldn't make out the difference bwteen the green 'accelerate' yellow 'coast' colours. |
|
scouserfuller9
17/06/09 @ 13:19
0
Although the icons aren't too difficult to notice parents and even the staff at stores such as Asda and Tesco won't always understand what they mean if they are not used to gaming unless they pay careful attention to them.
A simple age rating written like they are on DVD's should have been used with the type of game it is wrote next to it would have been a much better solution in my opinion. I still don't even know what most the images mean they're so poor! |
|
justanotherdave
17/06/09 @ 14:31
0
I might just be going for the blindingly obvious way here but.. If something has sex or drugs in it then why not WRITE that on the box (in big letters if people really are that stupid). I really can't see any benifit in having a picture of a spider instead.
|
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
