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Pan European Game Information, or more commonly PEGI, nicknamed "Piggy",is a European system for rating the content of computer and video games, and other entertainment software. It was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) and came into use in April 2003. The PEGI system is used in 25 countries. It is not associated with the European Union.
Participation is voluntary, at the discretion of the game developer. To obtain the ratings for any piece of software, the developer completes a questionnaire, which is then evaluated by the Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media (NICAM) and ratings are given. It's based on the Dutch Kijkwijzer system too.
There are two parts to the classification for any piece of software — a suggested minimum age and also up to seven descriptions of content, such as the use of strong language, violence, etc. Most recently added was the Gambling icon.
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Age ratings
PEGI has five age categories. In Finland and Portugal, local legislation conflicts with some of the ratings and they are changed accordingly.
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Content descriptions
The seven content descriptors are:
The 'Gambling' content descriptor was first used on September 29, 2006 with the title 42 All-Time Classics.
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Examples
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Where PEGI is used
PEGI is used in 25 European nations (albeit with zero legal effect). They are:
Finland (also has a local rating system which is given by VET/SFB instead if PEGI rating is missing)
Germany (Only used on some games with the USK rating too. An example of a game that used both the PEGI and USK rating is Halo 2•)
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Criticism
The PEGI doesn't have the same conception of violence with ESRB. Two examples classified T by ESRB for the same reason (Violence)
Battlefield 2142 is classified 16+ by PEGI, but classified T by ESRB (because the weapons are realistic and the enemies are humans)
is classified 3+ by PEGI, but rated T by ESRB (because the weapons are unreal and the enemies are robotics or imaginary creatures), Jak X has a 12+ rating for PEGI, but the reasons for the T rating are sensibly the same.
For the racing games, like Need For Speed: Most Wanted, there is a classification 3+ by PEGI, but it has a T rating by ESRB. The vast majority of racing games with violence are classified 3+ by PEGI.
The Grand Theft Auto series have a 18+ rating, but they only have the "Violence" icon. But according with ESRB, we have also references with drugs, bad language, and a small amount of discrimination (and sexual content for the modded version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas).
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See also
ELSPA, the former British computer and video game rating system, replaced by the PEGI ratings.
USK, the German computer and video game rating system
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