Ratings Overrated…Parents are not convinced by the age ratings applied to video games

Read more VSC and PEGI Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from digitalspy.co.uk

The majority of parents are unlikely to check video game age ratings when buying presents for Christmas, it has been revealed. New research from the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) shows that only 40% of parents buy games with an age rating that the games raters think are appropriate for their children 43% said that they checked ratings but didn’t necessarily stick to them, presumably because they did not agree with them. Some 59% parents buying games for their children say they are likely to play the game with their child. UKIE CEO Dr Jo Twist said: PEGI ratings on all UK games give clear and simple guidance on the suitability of games for different age audiences and if parents need further guidance on what these ratings mean they can visit Ask About Games. We’d urge parents to use this really helpful tool to ensure that playing games has the biggest positive impact on their children and family as a whole this Christmas.

PEGI App…Mobile database of games ratings and reviews

Read more VSC Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

Based on article from ukie.info See also article from itunes.apple.com

UKIE, the trade body for the UK’s video games and interactive entertainment industry welcomes the launch of a new PEGI app that will for the first time allow UK consumers to access age ratings and reviews for games in one place from their handheld devices. The new free app has been created by PEGI S.A., the organisation that manages the pan-European age rating system for video game content, and it is available for iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad immediately, with an Android version launching soon. The app allows consumers to browse the database of all the video games that have received a PEGI rating (16,000+ games) and get detailed information about the game and the type of content. When looking up information about a game, the app not only provides the age rating and detailed advice about why a particular rating was given, but it is also possible to read reviews and see screenshots of the video game, provided by independent video games website Eurogamer.net. The app features specific search filters to allow users to search per platform and/or age rating. The age label clearly indicates the age suitability of a game. Content descriptors and specific consumer advice indicate the main reasons why a particular rating is given to a video game (eg. bad language, fear, violence, etc.).