Doctor Proctor, the interesting thing about the "Wal-Mart" effect that you mention is that it simply doesn't occur in the UK. We've had our own legally-enforcable ratings system for years and the only example of a store refusing to stock a game I can recall is Dixons refusing to stock Bully/Canis Canem Edit, which was hilarious as they're not a major games retailer by any means.

I've given it some serious thought and the only real theory I've got is the difference in where games are sold. I'm only going by anecdotal evidence gathered by spending way too much time on internet forums, but there seems to be a fundemental difference in the type of stores people go to get their games. In the UK, it's primarily specialist game chains or entertainment stores that also sell music and movies. Toy and electrical stores also carry games, but they wouldn't be the first port of call for most people, with the exception of Toys 'R' Us and the "parents buying for kids" demographic.

In the US, a lot of people go to Wal-Mart and other large retailers for games. As these are generalists concerned with promoting a specific image, they are much more likely to refuse to carry products which will tarnish that image.

As a European gamer, my main concern is countries with strict laws regarding the actual content of the games having a strong sway over the European parliament. Stopping a 12 year old buying GTA is one thing, censoring the content in any way is an entirely different matter.

To Jabrwock,

"What if a country just decides to lower the rating on EVERYTHING because it’s cheaper/easier than enforcing the age regulation?"

That's a good question there that is always ready to be answered, Germany and Italy to two countries were both strict about video games killing humans, for example, the former to the two (more stricter) is legislating a law to imprison people playing killing humans games like GTA, Manhunt and even Carmegeddon. While as for the latter of the two, although condemns killing and assaulting humans, allows killing monsters game, prime example would be the game "Carmegeddon", instead of ramming humans, Italy has changed it into zombies and green blood.

In other way, I hope PEGI will do a great job, especially for movies.

@Jabrwock:

"What if a country just decides to lower the rating on EVERYTHING because it’s cheaper/easier than enforcing the age regulation?"

I would laugh.

Actually Doctor Proctor, I would expect that this is an attempt to mediate the video game debate, rather than quell video game sales, it's as much an upper limit as a lower one.

The EU has strongly defended video games recently, I'm wondering if this is more about stopping the more technophobic elements from getting carried away, Germany, for example, is on that list of supporting countries, the EU directive would crush the current attempts in Germany to give prison time.

Unless I grossly misread the article they're not talking about universalizing the rating, but rather the legal punishments for going against them. They'll probably still use the PEGI system, or something similar to it, but now retailers (and possibly customers) would be punishable by law for violating it.

As an American, this is disconcerting considering the numerous attempts at legislating videogames. Another potential problem that stems from this sort of action is the "Wal-Mart" effect. Basically, big retailers might stop carrying games like Gears of War that can carry criminal penalties for selling them to minors simply because it's safer.

You might eventually see fewer 17+ games being brought over to Europe because it will be hard to sell them there. In other words, M could become the new AO.

IIRC this law is being expanded once there is a Pan-European rating system for film as well, Britain are behind it for the sake of expediency only, most people in the UK go more by the BBFC rating than the PEGI one anyway, and if it's been passed by the board of censors, then very few shops except maybe Dixons will try and tell customers would they do and do not find 'acceptable', and Dixons are paying for it, their customer base is declining ever since they forgot that to be a successful enterprise, you have to convince customers that buying something is their own decision, not treat them like sheep that are unable to think for themselves.

I suppose in Europe, it's a case of computer games playing catch-up, almost the opposite of the US. Many countries in Europe have strict regulation over films and how old you have to be to watch them, and yet have no enforcement of PEGI on Video Games whatsoever. So this isn't as bad as it appears on the surface. I'm not against regulation as such, I'm just against discrimination.

@konrad_arflane:

Yeah, it seems like it has some inherency problems. One retailer could face a stiff fine from selling Gears of War to a minor while another in a "non-extradition" country would face nothing at all.

Erm, I hope that was the right use of "non-extradition". =)

Perhaps if videogames had a proven track record to be detrimental to one's health, such as illegal drugs, then you'd be spot on. However, mr Fratini, since they have just the opposite, you fail.