Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

July 24, 2008

MCVUK writes that Entertainment Software Association CEO Michael Gallagher (left) endorsed the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) rating system over that of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) during last week's state-of-the-industry speech at E3 in Los Angeles.

From the MCVUK report:

As part of his keynote speech, Gallagher was critical of the Byron Report’s highly controversial backing of the BBFC system – and made it clear that the Entertainment Software Association believes it was the wrong way to go.

MCVUK is referring to this section of the Gallagher speech:

Friends and allies across the globe are facing their own challenges. Our success as a business and entertainment medium has caught the attention and the interest of foreign regulators and governments. Earlier this year we saw the release of the Byron Report, which praised the ESRB's work with retailers to help enforce sales restrictions to minors. We are now seeing a robust debate between the BBFC and PEGI. And while this is a European question requiring a European solution, our American experience proves that industry self-regulation is the best way to provide parents the information they need to make appropriate purchasing decisions.

Frankly, we're not reading Gallagher's remarks as expressing criticism of the Byron Review, although the ESA head's preference for self-regulation is clear. On the other hand, it would be natural for the ESA to back PEGI, as its UK game industry counterparts, including publishers' group ELSPA, have expressed a clear distaste for handing game rating responsibilities over to the BBFC.

We've got a request in to the ESA for clarification on Gallagher's view. In the meantime, you can read the full text of Gallagher's E3 speech here.

Comments

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!!!!

An industry leader prefers the industry to police itself!

More on this groundbreaking development as we get it, back to you Dennis.

 

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

Wow. The MCVUK article reads like some twisted-to-our-purposes propaganda piece. It's really quite disturbing, considering the benign source material it supposedly takes its lead from.

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

Every MCVUK article posted on this site is like that, seriously, check the archives on this site.

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

Seems to me that the ESA should endorse PEGI over BBFC. Their interest is that of software developers, not government regulators, parents or even The Childrens. The BBFC has shown they're not up to the task of being impartial and not stomping on the freedoms of their constituents.

If anything, Gallagher should be criticized for not being forthcoming, endorsing PEGI. Say what you mean and mean what you say Michael. It's your job.

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

PEGI allows developers to express themselfs without censorship and bannings. The BBFC does not they would have your work censored or banned.

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

Nevethless, discussing the BBFC vs PEGI topic on the GP.com comments field is utterly pointless when the debate has to start from square one every time.

Also, if ELSPA or any other fioreign body started commenting or suggesting how Americans should run their affairs, there'd be uproar.

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

I would rather have the BBFC, for all its censorship and flaws, than a European organisation.

As an Englishman, I am sick of seeing so much of our power handed off to European groups, and while I understand people's concern with the BBFC, why can't we create our own ESRB like thing instead of handing yet more of our country off to foreigners?

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

Believe me, you're better off when the regulatory board doesnt answer to a single government. As a Canadian, I fear the US government's incompetence in regard to the gaming industry and what they would like to do to the ESRB (also responsible for rating Canadian content). Luckily the international body that is the ESRB doesnt answer to that incompetent body known as the US government.

And by wanting an ESRB of your own, you are saying you want PEGI, not BBFC. You're just being xenocentric in the process.

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

In Australia, our games are reviewed by our government film classification board. We're also not getting Fallout 3.

I can understand why PEGI is a good choice. 

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

I currently live in Australia... but this is like having New Zealand rate your games for you... actually, worse, since your history with the Kiwis doesn't involve thousands of years of conflict and strife.

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

Wait a sec, are you saying something important might've actually happened at E3?

---
The Mammon Industry

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

We do not need PEGI, the BBFC ratings are for the most part quite fair and the logos for them are instantly familiar to anyone who lives in the UK young or old  (and probably those who don't). If parents are confused now about what they buy for their kids, then PEGI would be a disaster.

Also BBFC = legal weight, PEGI = no weight over here.

 

 

Re: Did ESA Boss Endorse PEGI Over BBFC at E3?

I'm all for freedom of ttnet vitamin speech and allowing rent a car game makers to put whatever they want in games, but there's one thing about this app that has me scratching my head.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but from araç kiralama the previous article araba kiralama on this I gathered that players can use Google maps in-game to find the other (real-life?) dealers in their area.  If this is the case, has travesti anyone considered what's stopping someone from using this app to actually move drugs between hands for reals?

But majority araba kiralama of their outrage araç kiralama stems from what it could DO TO children, not the content itself.  Talk to one of these people and you'll find they don't think any books kiralık araba should be banned from children.  Mention American Psycho and they talk about kiralık araç the redeeming value of using imagination to construct a story.  Reading, no matter what the content, is largely viewed as a consequenceless activity for people of any age.  The reason why I mention American Psycho is because of the content itself.  Gaming never has and likely never will have any scenes where someone has sex with a severed head.  Not gonna happen.  Yet despite this, they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their children from two boys kissing in Bully but whatever they read is harmless... yeah.

The entire arguement is kiralık oto based upon a social normality inflicted by luddites who can't figure out the controls for Halo so it's frightening and terrifying and obviously the cause of youth violence on the rise even though, in reality, it's in decline (which is actually a HUGE suprise given minibüs kiralama the economies status).  In  a perfect world, we would have parents that actually parent.  The idea of sales restrictions on media on oto kiralama any form to accomidate parental unwillingness to get involved with their child's life is the real problem to me.  Here I am, 32 years old, and being held up at a self-scan rent a car needing to show ID before I can buy a $10 M rated game all because Soccer Momthra can't be bothered to look at the crap Billy Genericallystupidson does in his free time.  It's too hard for her, so I have to suffer?

GamePolitics ShoutBox

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Posted 01/05/09 at 10:02pm
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Austin_Lewis: Israel has been 'taking it' for 20 years, at least a rocket or mortar everyday.
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Austin_Lewis: Of course, I enjoy your suggestion that I hate Jews AND Muslims.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:52pm
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Posted 01/05/09 at 04:35pm
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Posted 01/05/09 at 04:16pm
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black manta: ...get on that one BTW. One of the characters is a naked blue man whose willy is very visible!
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