BBFC revamping video game age guidelines

The British Board Of Film Classification group (BBFC) is setting out to revamp its video game age rating system, in light of the results indicated by their recently published research into video games and gaming.

“We’re looking to review our games classification policy in the next few months – and that’s one of the reasons for this research,” said BBFC spokesperson Sue Clark during an interview.

“We have traditionally taken the view that because a game is interactive, by definition we need to be more careful. But when you watch a film you actually have less control than when you play games. It’s easier for you to lose that sense of reality,” Sue further said. The BBFC currently uses the same rating guidelines for movies and video games.

Part of the BBFC study, prepared by Cragg Ross Dawson, indicated that compared to moviegoers, gamers were less likely to forget that the situation (the game) they were immersed in was fictional, while they actually thought movie and TV violence was more upsetting. The latter analysis is attributed to the fact that video games require part of the player’s attention to be allocated for play, instead of viewing.  

While the BBFC rates a combination of video games and movies for the UK‘s consumption, the majority of the video games entering the region are rated though the Pan-European Game Information system (PEGI).

The British Board Of Film Classification group (BBFC) is setting out to revamp its video game age rating system, in light of the results indicated by their recently published research into video games and gaming.

“We’re looking to review our games classification policy in the next few months – and that’s one of the reasons for this research,” said BBFC spokesperson Sue Clark during an interview.

“We have traditionally taken the view that because a game is interactive, by definition we need to be more careful. But when you watch a film you actually have less control than when you play games. It’s easier for you to lose that sense of reality,” Sue further said. The BBFC currently uses the same rating guidelines for movies and video games.

Part of the BBFC study, prepared by Cragg Ross Dawson, indicated that compared to moviegoers, gamers were less likely to forget that the situation (the game) they were immersed in was fictional, while they actually thought movie and TV violence was more upsetting. The latter analysis is attributed to the fact that video games require part of the player’s attention to be allocated for play, instead of viewing.  

While the BBFC rates a combination of video games and movies for the UK‘s consumption, the majority of the video games entering the region are rated though the Pan-European Game Information system (PEGI).