The UK Government has announced a new system to classify video games, which will make it illegal to sell a video game rated 12 or over to an underage person.

The government has decided to adopt the PEGI (Pan European Game information) system, currently used in most of Europe, for all games. It will replace the current hybrid system that has two separate sets of symbols, either of which can appear on video games, and is sufficiently adaptable to work in the rapidly expanding online games market.

There will also be a new role for the Video Standards Council, an organisation which is independent from the games industry and will take a statutory role, with a mandate to implement the PEGI classification system for all video games in the UK.

Further information is available from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport website.