David Reeves, the SCEE CEO and president, has criticised the Byron review for being ‘too nice’ the the British games industry, saying that the report should’ve been ‘more direct’. He also stated that PEGI ratings should have ‘more teeth’, and become legally binding.
For most stores, it already is. Or at least in policy. Get caught, and you get fined as if it was a BBFC product. Working in retail myself, I know for a fact that were I to sell Call of Duty 4 to a 12 year old, I would be referred to internal disciplinary boards, or outright reported to the police. According to Byron, we should have BBFC on the front (for 12, 15, and 18 games) and PEGI ratings on the back (for 3+ and 7+ games)
Once again, Dr Byron neglects to notice that she is interfering with competition laws. And as such, she’s playing a dangerous game by recommending one over the other. Reeves is doing the same, but since he’s, quite frankly, a big-shot with an even bigger wallet, he can get away with it. Not to mention, he’s doing the right thing. Gordon Brown wants us to be part of the EU; let our games be governed by it.
One or the other. Not both.
From MCV
Tags: byronreview, sony, scee, pegi, david reeves, video game violence, game ratings