Pan-European Game Information

The Pan-European Game Information, or PEGI, is a game rating system adopted by countries throughout Europe.

In the single European market, the content of video games is rated to determine what age group is safe to expose to the content. Differing systems throughout Europe could be confusing, and so a new common system among European countries was needed.

PEGI was born as a result, launched in 2003 to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games. It has been adopted by most European nations since then.

The system got backing from the manufacturers of video games consoles, such as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. It rates content based on the age a person should be, or older, before they should be allowed to view the content. Whether it is a crime for a business to provide a game unsuitable for a child customer depends on the laws of the individual state.

The main PEGI ratings are PEGI 3, PEGI 7, PEGI 12, PEGI 16 and PEGI 18, where the number dictates the age the child should be before playing the content. There is also a PEGI OK label attached to video games deemed to be completely suitable for all.

Other information on PEGI labels reveals the type of content in the game, such as Bad Language, Discrimination, Drugs, Fear, Gambling, Sex and Violence. There is also a PEGI logo to indicate if a game has online features.

As of May 2012, PEGI has been adopted in one way or another by..