Pan European Game Information (PEGI), the European video game age rating organisation, is raising the age rating of games containing paid random items to PEGI 16 or higher.

PEGI announced its operational guidelines on October 6, stating that existing games rated PEGI 3, 7, or 12 that feature paid random items such as loot boxes will be uniformly upgraded to PEGI 16. A new descriptor labelled 'Paid random items' will be assigned to the list of titles with altered ratings.

Previously, PEGI applied new evaluation criteria to rating reviews starting in June. These criteria included incentivising the consumption of paid in-game currency, systems encouraging continuous play, user communication and interaction tools, and paid random components. At the time, stricter age ratings were applied by closely scrutinising the implementation level of these elements exclusively for new releases, and starting in October, the scope of review targets is being expanded to include selected titles among existing digital titles that had already passed past rating reviews.

Connor Hinde, policy lead manager at the Games Rating Authority (GRA), which is exclusively responsible for operating PEGI in the United Kingdom, stated via LinkedIn that the implementation of the revised criteria has begun for selected existing digital games starting last week. The rating adjustments are applied without exception to works that have gone through the 'PEGI Classic' method or the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) system. This renewal measure will be implemented gradually throughout October across all online distribution channels adopting PEGI ratings, and it will take some time for the full transition to be completed.

Consequently, game companies subject to review must modify the product descriptions and attached ratings listed on storefronts, and future promotional materials must also be overhauled to comply with the revised standards. Considering that a large-scale rating overhaul is taking place all at once in a short period, the GRA has advised publishers and developers who have questions or need support regarding the procedures to utilise the PEGI helpdesk channel.

Meanwhile, PEGI officially announced a rating adjustment proposal in March to raise the baseline rating of games containing random items to PEGI 16. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the North American rating organisation, expressed concerns that it could cause confusion among users that same month and stated that it would not accept the rating adjustment proposal published by PEGI.