The European Union has given makers, distributors and retailers of videogame two years to come up with an improved code of conduct within the industry. Worldwide videogame sales are expected to reach €30 billion within two years – with the EU accounting for about one-third.

According to reports, EU officials have expressed concerns towards videogame content and how it may affect minors. The Pan European Games Information (PEGI), the rating system currently in place has been adopted in 20 of the 27 EU member states, but has been criticised for not having enough clarity.

Vivienne Reding, the EU Information Society Commissioner, explained how the games industry has a responsibility to account for the social implications of its content.

"Creators have to enjoy freedom of expression but at the same time it's an industry that impacts society," she told a news conference.
Reding also criticised games such as “Manhunt 2” and cited that there is a real concern from the public about the impact violent games have had on society.

Although the demand from the EU is not being passed as legislation, it echoes similar advice from Dr, Tanya Byron for the British Government in the recent 'Safer Children in a Digital World' report. Dr. Byron called for a new set of certifications and a clearer set of age guidelines to be put in place for European consumers within two years.

The UK’s Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) defended the PEGI system. Director General Paul Jackson commented: “It protects children as games move increasingly online and therefore should be adopted by UK regulators. We look forward to discussing this at the forthcoming UK consultation."

However, the EU did accept that there was no clear link between violent videogames and the behaviour of child gamers but has asked for clearer symbols from in the PEGI’s age rating system.

Dan Makin, founder of content censoring company, Censorit, welcomed the EU’s demands as the current system is both confusing and currently unforced.

“PEGI has to consider the many different cultural attitudes towards what is and what isn’t acceptable. PEGI is a voluntary system that cannot enforce compliance, and indeed four member states of the European Union have no existing games rating system at all,” said Makin.

“The PEGI icons demonstrate its shortfalls. Most parents would not be able to accurately describe the meaning of all eight pictograms. There is not enough real estate available on games packaging to explain these pictograms in all European languages, so what will ultimately be used by parents are the age categories: 3+, 4+, 6+, 7+, 12+, 16+, 18+ and not the content types.”

According to Makin, the media plays a huge role in encouraging controversial game content – the more controversial the game the more headlines it grabs.

“Today it seems the more outrageous the concepts, the better the publicity for the game. Manhunt 2 tested the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to the point where the title was rejected. The ban was later praised by Leicester MP Keith Vaz. This kind of response will only add to the desire of software houses to continue to produce these titles in the hope for stellar rewards. With so much free publicity and money involved, it is difficult to envision a future where the industry self-regulates.,” continued Makin.