No, no, no, no, don’t lie: publishers to face heavy fine if caught lying to PEGI

Dare not cheat the system, for the arms of the law are long — and can get all your money away, leaving you bankrupt. This is what publishers out there should be warned of. The ELSPA is serious with their business, and you bet you’ll get fined big time if you lie to PEGI.

Dare not cheat the system, for the arms of the law are long — and can get all your money away, leaving you bankrupt. This is what publishers out there should be warned of. The ELSPA is serious with their business, and you bet you’ll get fined big time if you lie to PEGI.

From now on, under the new system, publishers will have to answer a questionnaire regarding the content of their game. This questionnaire will then be submitted to PEGI and the Video Standards Council for rating (I personally hope they play the game as well, and not just base their ratings on a questionnaire).

If caught lying through their teeth, publisher can face fines of up to €500,000, or worse, have their game banninated throughout all of Europe.

ELSPA director Michael Rawlinson spoke of this new arrangement, and expressed his confidence that the publishers will not lie to them.

I’m confident that publishers will be truthful. We will all lose out as an industry if this system is not seen to be absolutely transparent and absolutely followed by the publishing community.

More importantly, if a publisher misleads PEGI, they will be fined up half a million Euros – and be refused official ratings. That will prevent them from publishing on all major platforms in Europe.

Ouch. Don’t you guys be lying now.

• Goodbye BBFC: PEGI is now the UK standard for game ratings
• PEGI reveals new ratings symbols for Europe

Via MCV UK