Pan European Game Information

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Pan European Game Information, or more commonly PEGI, nicknamed "Piggy",is a European system for rating the content of computer and video games, and other entertainment software. It was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) and came into use in April 2003. The PEGI system is used in 25 countries. It is not associated with the European Union.

Participation is voluntary, at the discretion of the game developer. To obtain the ratings for any piece of software, the developer completes a questionnaire, which is then evaluated by the Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media (NICAM) and ratings are given. It's based on the Dutch Kijkwijzer system too.

There are two parts to the classification for any piece of software — a suggested minimum age and also up to seven descriptions of content, such as the use of strong language, violence, etc. Most recently added was the Gambling icon.

1 Age ratings
2 Content descriptions
- 2.1 Examples
3 Where PEGI is used
4 Comparison
5 See also
6 External links
7 References

[edit] Age ratings

PEGI has five age categories. In Finland and Portugal, local legislation conflicts with some of the ratings and they are changed accordingly.

Region	3+	7+	12+	16+	18+
Standard	Image:PEGI 3.png	Image:PEGI 7.png	Image:PEGI 12.png	Image:PEGI 16.png	Image:PEGI 18.png
Finland	Image:PEGI 3.png	Image:PEGI 7.png	Image:PEGI 11.png	Image:PEGI 15.png	Image:PEGI 18.png
Portugal	Image:PEGI 4.png	Image:PEGI 6.png	Image:PEGI 12.png	Image:PEGI 16.png	Image:PEGI 18.png

[edit] Content descriptions

The seven content descriptors are:

Language	Discrimination	Drugs	Fear	Sexual Content	Violence	Gambling
Image:PEGI Language.gif	Image:PEGI Discrimination.gif	Image:PEGI Drugs.gif	Image:PEGI Fear.gif	Image:PEGI SexualContent.gif	Image:PEGI Violence.gif	Image:PEGI Gambling.gif

The 'Gambling' content descriptor was first used on September 29, 2006 with the title 42 All-Time Classics.

[edit] Examples

Language - Grand Theft Auto series or The Warriors
Discrimination - Original War
Drugs - Deus Ex: Invisible War
Fear - Survival horror games, such as Condemned: Criminal Origins & Resident Evil
Sexual Content - Singles: Flirt Up Your Life
Violence - First person shooters, such as Doom 3
Gambling - 42 All-Time Classics

[edit] Where PEGI is used

PEGI is used in 27 European nations (albeit with zero legal effect). They are:

Austria
Belgium
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland (also has a local rating system which is given by VET/SFB instead if PEGI rating is missing)
France
Greece
Germany (Only used on some games with the USK rating too. An example of a game that used both the PEGI and USK rating is Halo 2<ref>Halo 2: Best of Classics. EB Games.de (2006). Retrieved on 2006-09-25.</ref>)
Hungary
Iceland
Republic of Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom (if a game contains certain material, BBFC rating is used instead)

[edit] Comparison

The PEGI does not have the same conception of violence as the ESRB...

Ratchet: Deadlocked is classified 3+ by PEGI, but rated T by ESRB (because the weapons are unrealistic and the enemies are either robots or fantasy creatures), Jak X has a 12+ rating for PEGI, but the reasons for the T rating are essentially the same.
For racing games, such as Need For Speed: Most Wanted, there is a classification 3+ by PEGI, but it has been issued a T rating by the ESRB.

[edit] See also

CERO, the Japanese computer and video game rating system
ESRB, the United States and Canadian computer and video game rating system
ELSPA, the former British computer and video game rating system, replaced by the PEGI ratings.
USK, the German computer and video game rating system
OFLC, the Australian media rating system
OFLC, the New Zealand media rating system.