PEGI adds ratings for loot boxes, in‑app purchases and unmoderated chat

European game rating agency PEGI will expand its system later this year with new "interactive risk categories" aimed at games that include loot boxes, in‑app purchases or unmoderated in‑game communications. The new rules assign specific age ratings: games with time‑limited or quantity‑limited in‑game offers will be PEGI 12, while titles using NFTs or blockchain mechanisms will be PEGI 18.

Paid random items will default to PEGI 16 (and in some cases PEGI 18). Mechanics that reward returning players, such as daily quests, will be PEGI 7; if they punish players for not returning, they become PEGI 12. Games that offer entirely unrestricted communication features with no blocking or reporting options will be PEGI 18.

Some existing ratings could rise under the changes: Fortnite, already PEGI 12, is likely to keep that rating though it will receive additional descriptors, while EA Sports FC, previously PEGI 3, will probably move up to PEGI 16 because of randomized Ultimate Team card packs.

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