ELSPA, the UK association of entertainment software publishers, today called upon the UK Government "to embrace a single games age ratings system in Europe". ELSPA's Director General Paul Jackson said in a speech at Whitehall that the adoption of the PEGI (the Pan European Games Ratings Information) system was the single most important decision the UK industry has faced in a generation. more...

Psychologist Tanya Byron has released her report on the risks posed by video games and the internet to children. Last year, U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown commissioned Byron to review the issue and present a report, promising that the government would act to implement her suggestions. more...

The Saga of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and its refusal to rate Manhunt 2 isn’t over yet. Originally, the BBFC refused to rate Manhunt 2, blocking its release in the U.K.. Last week, the game was granted a review by the U.K. Video Appeals Committee and the Appeals Committee decided to grant the BBFC’s most restrictive rating, allowing the game to reach U.K. Customers. Now the BBFC is fighting that decision. more...

By now, nearly everyone has heard of Rockstar Games’ problems getting a rating for Manhunt 2. more...

When it reviewed Manhunt 2, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) initially refused to rate the game, due to graphic and callous violence. The Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) initially awarded the game an "AO" (Adults Only) rating, a rating that would prevent most stores from stocking the game. Rockstar Games, the premier label of Take-Two Interactive, made some changes, including blurring some of the killing scenes. As a result, the ESRB revised its rating to an "M" (Mature). The BBFC, however, isn't budging. more...

In the wake of recent ratings controversies (particularly the worldwide controversy over the rating of Manhunt 2 from Take-Two Interactive's Rockstar Games label), the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has launched an online site to help parents understand its ratings. more...