The video game industry is bracing for a shift in how titles are rated in Europe, but US gamers won’t see the same changes domestically. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the organization responsible for age ratings in North America, has announced it will not follow the lead of its European counterpart, PEGI, in factoring in elements like paid random items – commonly known as loot boxes – when assigning age ratings. This decision comes as PEGI prepares to implement a significant overhaul of its rating system this summer, a move intended to better protect younger players from potentially harmful game mechanics.
The core of the disagreement lies in how best to inform parents about these features. PEGI’s upcoming changes, set to take effect in June, will introduce four novel categories to its classification options, addressing in-app purchases, paid random items, play-by-appointment features, and online communities. These changes represent the largest update to PEGI’s system in its history. The ESRB, however, believes that integrating these elements into the core age rating could be “confusing” for parents, according to a statement provided to The Game Business. Currently, the ESRB uses separate labels to notify parents about features like online communication and in-game purchases, a system it feels provides clearer information.
“ESRB’s research indicates that parents aim for upfront notice about features like online communications and the ability to spend real money on in-game purchases,” an ESRB spokesperson said, “but that it could be confusing if non-content related features influence rating category assignments. As such, You’ll see currently no plans for ESRB to allow any factors outside of the content and context of a game to influence the age rating assignment.” This stance suggests the ESRB prioritizes maintaining a clear distinction between the game’s content – violence, sex, language – and its monetization strategies.
PEGI’s Director General, Dirk Bosmans, acknowledged the ESRB’s concerns, stating that the European body is aware of the potential for parents to lose detailed information. “We’re conscious of the concerns that ESRB voices. If we add this, are parents losing information? You do want to inform them both about the content, and the context, of video games,” Bosmans told The Game Business. “But by integrating them both into an age rating, you have to be mindful that you may not be able to give all the levels of detail that you gave beforehand. Here’s a demanding exercise.”
What the New PEGI Ratings Mean
The changes coming to PEGI ratings this summer will significantly alter how games are classified. Games with time-limited or quantity-limited offers will receive a PEGI 12 rating. More concerning for some, games incorporating NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) or blockchain-related mechanisms will automatically be rated PEGI 18, reflecting concerns about the speculative nature and potential risks associated with these technologies. Paid random items, like loot boxes, will generally result in a PEGI 16 rating, though some cases could warrant a PEGI 18 classification.
The “play-by-appointment” category, addressing games that incentivize daily logins or penalize players for inactivity, will also see changes. Games rewarding consistent play will receive a PEGI 7 rating, while those punishing players for missed days will be bumped to PEGI 12. Finally, games with unrestricted online communication features – lacking blocking or reporting mechanisms – will be rated PEGI 18, highlighting the risks of unregulated online interactions.
Impact on Specific Titles
The immediate impact of PEGI’s new system is already being discussed within the industry. EA Sports FC 26, the next installment in the popular soccer franchise, is expected to see its age rating rise from PEGI 3 to PEGI 16 due to the inclusion of paid random items. Similarly, the Pokémon spin-off Pokémon Pokopia could face an increase from PEGI 3 to PEGI 7 because of its design encouraging daily returns, falling under the “play-by-appointment” category.
PEGI has clarified that previously released games will largely maintain their existing ratings, but live service games – those that receive ongoing updates and content – will be reassessed. Bosmans emphasized the complexity of evaluating a vast back catalog, stating, “We did not include a lot of detail about legacy products because that’s something we want to figure out properly… We will be looking at some legacy products.” He also noted that PEGI has been tracking in-game purchases and paid random items for the past seven years, providing a valuable database for future evaluations.
A Starting Point, Not a Final Solution
Bosmans views these changes as an initial step in a continuous process of adaptation. “We demand to give ourselves the time to discover the proper parameters,” he said. “Because we introduced four new categories… Can we do all of them? There are lots of games out there and a lot of them are constantly being updated. We cannot continuously check our back catalogue.”
The divergence between PEGI and ESRB highlights the ongoing debate about how to best regulate the evolving landscape of video game monetization. While the ESRB maintains its current approach, prioritizing separate labels for potentially problematic features, PEGI is taking a more integrated approach, directly factoring these elements into the age rating itself. The effectiveness of both systems will likely be debated for years to come, as the industry continues to innovate and adapt.
The ESRB has indicated it will continue to monitor the situation and assess the impact of PEGI’s changes. The next major checkpoint will be observing how the new PEGI ratings are applied to upcoming game releases in July 2026, and how parents respond to the revised system.
What are your thoughts on the differing approaches to game ratings? Share your opinions in the comments below.
Related reading
