NEWS - Thursday, June 26, 2008
New UK Rating System Could Delay Releases
Proposed changes to the rating system for games in the UK could have a significant effect on release dates, according to comments from Electronic Art’s local manager and vice president Keith Ramsdale.Gamers in Britain are long used to lengthy waits to get their hand on new software, a trend which has only recently been bucked with major publishers now working towards worldwide release dates. However, with the recommendations of the Byron report being put into action, games could now face a protracted journey to the shelves.
"The government’s proposed changes to the existing age rating systems will create further delays in getting hit games to the UK," Ramsdale told gamesindustry.biz "An extra and unnecessary layer of administration beyond a single system slows the process, and that delay will get passed on to the players themselves."
Under the proposed system, both the PEGI and BBFC will rate games, with the BBFC’s rating carried on the front of the box while the PEGI’s rating appears on the back. Is it a case of excessive bureaucracy? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: http://www.ign.com
