"You're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat!": November 2009

Monday 23 November 2009

Essay on Video Game Regulation

How are video games regulated in the UK and why is regulation needed?

You must cover:

The role of the BBFC
The role of PEGI
Examples of games and why they have gained their age classification
The concern over children accessing inappropriate games
The status of the law in regard to supplying games to underage children
Examples of games causing controversy. Look here for good examples.

There is no guidance on a word count except to say that all of the points above have to be covered in some detail. No plagiarism please. Use pictures as illustrations wherever necessary.

Regulation and Video Games

Videogames in the UK are classified by two regulatory bodies. The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) classify approximately 10% of all videogames released. PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) classify the other 90%.

Are a non-governmental regulatory body
Their age classifications are enforced by law.
They classify videogames which contain video footage of, or depictions of the following:
Human sexual activity
Acts of gross violence towards humans and animals
Criminal activity
Drug use

Go to the website: http://www.pbbfc.co.uk/guides_Videogames.asp

Are a self-regulatory body (set up voluntarily by the videogame industry to regulate their own products)
Their classifications are guidelines for parents and retailers and are NOT enforced by law.
If any game contains depictions of human sexual activity, acts of gross violence towards humans or animals, criminal activity or drug use, by law the game is exempt from PEGI classification and must be classified legally by the BBFC before sale.

Go to the website: http://www.pegi.info/en/index/id/28/

PEGI ratings: