The Pan-European Game Information age ratings body (PEGI) recently introduced four new categories the body considers when rating video games. These are: in-app purchases, paid random items, play by appointment, and online community.
It's an example of regulation beginning to catch up to the various innovations we've seen in the gaming industry over the past decade. There are far more ways for a game to extract someone's money post-purchase than there used to be, and some of the legislation is starting to reflect that reality.
For example, random chance loot boxes are completely banned in Belgium, while the New York Attorney General's office is attempting to sue Valve over its loot box equivalent: cases.
In an interview with Eurogamer, PEGI's director general Dirk Bosmans elaborated on the strategic aims of these new categories, but he also faced a question many parents are probably grappling with: Would he allow his 15-year-old son to play Grand Theft Auto 6 when it releases?
"I knew that question was going to come!" Bosmans replied. "Look, I'm the director of PEGI, my son said to me, 'Dad', it was like, 'I'm screwed, right? My dad's the director of PEGI."
