News
Government Seeks Views on Age Classifications for Games Industry
Published 06.08.08
Margaret Hodge, the Minister for Culture, has this week launched a consultation on the age classification system used in the gaming industry.
As part of the Byron Review's (Safer Children in a Digital World) recommendations, the Government is looking to gather the views and opinions on the system from gamers, children, parents, the games industry, retailers and other stakeholders.
The aim is to develop a new, legally enforceable system of age classification that will help to make sure that video games are played by the appropriate age group, whilst also giving parents, retailers and consumers the guidance they need to make informed choices.
Culture Minister Margaret Hodge said:
"The current system of classification comes from a time when video games were in their infancy. In recent years there have been extraordinary developments in technology, with increasingly realistic gameplay and highly evolved storylines. At the same time more and more games are now accessed on line.
"We have also seen a big growth in games aimed at a grown-up market, which invariably include scenes unsuitable for young people. The games market has simply outgrown the classification system, so today we are consulting on options that will make games classification useful and relevant again."
To view the consultation and to add your comments, go to www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/5345.aspx