Miss Atkinson's Safeguarding assemblies this week are all about the importance of a following Pegi ratings.
Age ratings ensure that entertainment content – such as films, DVDs, and games – is clearly labelled for the minimum age group for which it is suitable. Age ratings provide guidance to consumers to help them decide whether or not to buy a particular product. Since 2012, PEGI has been the sole system used in the UK for new console and PC games.
Many thousands of games have been PEGI-rated since the scheme was devised and introduced in early 2003. It is important to note that in the UK, PEGI 12, 16 and 18 ratings are legally enforceable, meaning that they cannot be supplied to persons below those respective age bars. The body responsible for applying UK PEGI ratings is the VSC Rating Board.
Essentially, the PEGI rating on a game confirms that it contains content suitable for a certain age group and above. So a 7-rated game is suitable for everyone who is seven or older, while an 18-rated game is deemed suitable for adults only. It is not, however, a measure of who will enjoy the game or how difficult that game is. When buying a game for anyone under the age of 18, always look at the age rating to check it is suitable for the intended end-user. Adult games contain adult only content, so you should treat them just like any other 18-rated medium.