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Reviewed Ratings System Review Reviewed

An interesting story from yesterday merits a brief comment, I think. The PEGI rating system for games in the UK is to become the industry standard, and legal. The current confusion, where the BBFC ratings are often voluntary but enforced by law, and the PEGI ratings required but not enforced, has been muddling parents and shop assistants for years. After the Byron Review, Tanya Byron suggested just one ratings system, more robust, and far more clear. And it looks like it's now going to happen.

Eurogamer quote Creative Industries Minister Siôn Simon saying,

"Protecting children and giving parents a clear and robust new system has always been our starting point. The new system of classification follows the essential criteria set out by Professor Tanya Byron, who recommended a trustworthy, uniform and clear set of symbols that is flexible and future proof."

Clearly there had to be some change, and hopefully this will replace the complete mess that's currently in place. However, it will be interesting to see how long it takes for the promised new PEGI logos to become as recognisable and semiotically powerful as the BBFC's big red circles of doom.

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