German industry body Game warns EU KIDS Act could override USK and PEGI ratings

Game, the German Games Industry Association, has warned that the EU KIDS Act could override well-established national age-rating systems. The act was unveiled in draft form in September and is likely to have sweeping repercussions for game developers.

Germany uses the USK age-rating system for video games, while PEGI is used across most of Europe. The act includes a provision on codes of conduct for age rating that goes beyond the existing framework and is more binding. Game suggests that new European-wide codes of conduct could result in the same game being rated 12+ in one store and 16+ in another, undermining the role of USK.

The KIDS Act is primarily aimed at social networks. It proposes a social-media ban for children under 13 and restrictions on social media for those under 15. It also carries major implications for online games. USK was overhauled in 2023 to account for features such as loot boxes and online communication. PEGI was amended along similar lines earlier this year, and games with loot boxes are now automatically rated 16+.

Game is asking for the act to safeguard and build on USK and PEGI rather than create entirely new procedures. It also wants games treated differently from social networks, with protection obligations and age checks based on actual risks and taking self-regulation criteria into account. It further suggests the act should strengthen existing parental controls in games and platforms. Game says blanket access restrictions must not disproportionately limit parental responsibility or children's digital participation.

Felix Falk, Game's managing director, said in a press statement that the Commission is under enormous pressure to tighten youth protection rules on social media, and that protection that works well for games risks becoming collateral damage. He added: "Games are not social networks, and they need their own rules."