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June 12th, 2008 @ 15:54
ELSPA head Paul Jackson just responded to yesterday’s Government comment saying tax breaks for UK developers are now being assessed, welcoming in the move but saying putting age ratings onto the BBFC in the UK will fail in its aim to protect children.
“We appreciate comments from Government about its support and the work being done for the UK video games industry,” he said. “We look forward to working closely with them in the near future to make good this commitment. Of immediate concern is the issue of age ratings where it is crucial that following the public consultation on games age ratings, the UK adopts the Pan European PEGI system for games sold in store and online.
“The facts are that any other conclusion from this process, including the proposed expansion of the remit of the film ratings body, the BBFC, will result in a significant and prohibitive logistical and financial burden on the games industry. This will lead to increased costs of bringing games to market and could also significantly de-stabilise the UK’s influence and position within the European games industry. More importantly, it will have failed in its main objective - protecting children.”
The BBFC was picked as the main giver of age ratings in the UK in the wake of the Byron Report.
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June 12th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I heard the BBFC eats children and cries tears of liquid bile.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Utter rubbish. The BBFC currently rates a significant proportion of videogames as it is without incurring delays nor increasing the cost of bringing them to market.
The choice of ratings body has no bearing on the UK’s position as a development location within the videogames industry, and if it does ELSPA has evidently failed to demonstrate how.
What’s clear is the ELSPA is in the pocket of some of the larger videogames publishers who want to be able to have more direct control over the ratings process, as in the USA.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
The games industry successfully dodges a bullet then decides to leap in front of it.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Enough with the bitching, moaning and pissing, Jackson. Publishers can’t rate their own fucking games. Everyone understands the BBFC 18, not those daft spiders and dagger pics of PEGI’s.
June 12th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I love it when you talk dirty.
June 12th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
He’s actually right, but not for any of the reasons mentioned in his pithy little soundbyte.
PEGI / BBFC, etc makes no difference when parents still don’t even know what parental controls are for or that some games, especially the ones marked up with those helpful and easy to understand big numbers on the front and spine MIGHT NOT be suitable for little Johnny or Jeannie.