PEGI begins re-rating loot-box games as PEGI 16

Existing digital-only games that contain paid random items, including loot boxes, are being moved to a new PEGI 16 label across Europe. The Games Rating Authority (GRA), which administers PEGI in the UK, says the changes are being applied progressively through October.¹

The label is called “PEGI 16 - Paid random items”. It affects games currently carrying PEGI 3, PEGI 7 or PEGI 12 ratings, whether those ratings came through PEGI’s traditional process or the International Age Rating Coalition system. In practical terms, a game that has already launched can now receive a higher age classification when its monetisation includes paid random rewards.

What is changing

GRA policy manager Connor Hinde said the organisation had started applying the revised criteria to a selection of existing digital games. The rating authority expects a large number of classifications to change in a short period, and has directed publishers and developers with questions to the PEGI Helpdesk.¹

The new approach is part of a wider change to how paid random items are presented to players and parents. PEGI’s own guidance separates age suitability from difficulty and lists in-game purchases as a content descriptor, while the PEGI 16 category covers content judged closer to what would be expected in real life.² The new label makes the presence of paid random items more explicit rather than treating the age number as the only useful signal.

The move is not a global standard. In March, the Entertainment Software Rating Board said it would not adopt PEGI’s changes in the United States, arguing that a separate system could confuse users.¹ That means the same game may carry a different rating or descriptor depending on where it is sold.

For players, the immediate effect will be most visible on digital storefronts and existing game listings. Parents may see familiar titles move from PEGI 3, 7 or 12 to PEGI 16 as the updated criteria roll out. Publishers and developers, meanwhile, will need to account for the new classification when communicating with players and reviewing regional storefront information.

Our opinion

PEGI’s decision gives a controversial monetisation mechanic a clearer warning label, which is useful even if the exact age number will not settle every argument about loot boxes. A prominent descriptor tells families more than a generic “in-game purchases” notice, especially when the change appears on games they already know. The awkward part is the retroactive rollout: players and parents may encounter a rating change without understanding what prompted it, while the US decision to stay separate guarantees more regional inconsistency. PEGI should therefore explain the transition as clearly as it displays the new label.

For now, the important point is simple: this is a progressive re-rating of eligible existing digital games, not a rule that every game containing optional purchases automatically becomes PEGI 16. The classification specifically targets paid random items, and the rollout is expected to continue through October.¹