Google Play adopts PEGI ratings

Android games store Google Play will adopt the PEGI ratings system across Europe, UKIE has announced.

The move comes as PEGI joins other age rating systems across the world in a new International Age Rating Coalition (IARC).

This group of game rating boards has banded together to let developers and publishers gain an age rating for their game via a single questionnaire.

Game creators that use the scheme can do so for free and with minimal effort, UKIE has said.

"We are pleased to see major mobile platforms adopting the new IARC system, making it easy and, importantly, free for businesses that publish games to get age ratings across a number of major games markets," UKIE boss Dr Jo Twist said.

"Having PEGI ratings on more mobile platforms across Europe also means that we have a more consistent and clear rating process to help consumers understand which games are appropriate for all ages."

IARC is made up of the five largest rating organisations in the world: PEGI (Europe), ESRB (North America), ClassInd (Brazil), USK (Germany) and the Classification Board in Australia.

Google Play and Firefox Marketplace are the first to sign up to the service, while Microsoft's Xbox Live, Nintendo's eShop and Sony's PlayStation Store are set to adopt the simplified ratings process in the future.

There's no word of Apple signing its own iOS App Store up to the service.