Why are some video games getting higher age ratings?

Certain computer games and gaming apps will soon be given higher age ratings - meaning they should only be played by older children.

The new rules, announced this week, come from Pan European Game Information, usually called PEGI. This is the organisation that decides which ages different games are suitable for.

PEGI ratings appear when you buy a game online, on the front of physical game boxes, and also on some app stores when you download games on phones or tablets.

PEGI said one of the biggest changes will affect games and apps that include features called loot boxes, which allow players to buy random mystery items with real or virtual money.

The PEGI system helps players and parents decide which games are safe and suitable to play.

Across Europe, including in the UK, games are given one of five age ratings: 3, 7, 12, 16 or 18. The number shows the youngest age the game is meant for.

Until now, ratings mostly looked at things like violence, scary scenes or bad language. The more of these a game had the higher rating it would get.

But video games have changed a lot over the years. Many modern games now include ways to spend money inside the game or encourage players to keep coming back every day.

Because of this, PEGI says it needs to update how it decides age ratings.

Dirk Bosmans, director of PEGI, told BBC Newsround that these new ratings "will apply to video games that are quite popular with children", and says while this may mean lots of discussions with parents, he believes these changes are "very necessary".

One of the biggest changes involves loot boxes.

A loot box is a feature in some games where players can pay money to open a digital box or pack containing random items. These might include things like new characters, outfits or cards.

The key thing is that you don't know what you will get before you buy it.

Because the reward is random, some critics say this system can feel similar to gambling. Gambling is when people spend money on a game of chance hoping to win something valuable.

In the UK, the law does not currently classify loot boxes as gambling, but researchers say they still raise concerns.

Dr Ruijie Wang from Bournemouth University, who led a 2025 study about gambling risks for young people, told the BBC that loot boxes are "one of the most studied examples of gambling-like mechanics in games."

She said recognising them in age ratings is "an important step towards reflecting the realities of modern game design" and could help parents better understand possible risks.

Under the new PEGI rules, games that sell these paid random items will normally receive a PEGI 16 rating, and in some cases this could rise to PEGI 18.

The PEGI rating system is used for many different types of games, including console games, computer games and some mobile or tablet games that can be downloaded from app stores.

This means some apps on phones and tablets will also receive higher ratings if they include features like paid loot boxes.

On Google Play, ratings shown in the UK and Europe are PEGI. On Apple's App Store, PEGI is not used (Apple applies its own rating scheme).

The new rules will mainly apply to games released after June 2026.

Older games won't change, however, if an update adds things that effect age guidance (for example, loot boxes), the rating can be checked and raised.

Loot boxes are not the only thing PEGI is looking at.

Some games encourage players to log in every day or within a certain time limit, to complete tasks or unlock rewards. Sometimes these rewards disappear if you don't play within a certain time.

PEGI calls this type of design "play-by-appointment."

If a game strongly pressures players to return or sees gamers lose rewards for missing a day, it could receive a PEGI 12 rating.

While speaking with BBC Newsround, Dirk Bosmans from PEGI said that these kinds of systems can sometimes cause "friction" between children and parents, when kids feel they must play every day to keep their progress.

Another rule focuses on online chat safety. If a game allows players to communicate with others, but does not include ways to block or report people using bad language, it will automatically receive a PEGI 18 rating.

However, under the UK's Online Safety Act, games already have to follow rules written into law that say chat or other player‑to‑player features must have safety systems - like being able to report or block someone.

Some experts say the changes are a positive step, but others believe they should go further.

Emily Tofield, chief executive of the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), said the new ratings are "a step in the right direction."

However, she believes the rules should also apply to games that already exist.

"Without applying the rules to current games the policy will do little to protect the children who are already playing them," she said.

PEGI boss, Dirk, told BBC Newsround that these age ratings are primarily for parents and guardians to help make decisions about which games can be played at home, but that the best way to have these conversations "is by playing together".

Bosmans encouraged families to explore the parental controls that many games include, such as tools that can turn off spending features or limit purchases.

Games will automatically drop to a PEGI 7 if these spending features are able to be switched off.