EA Sports FC 27 gets a PEGI 16 rating in Europe because of loot boxes

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Europe's age ratings have started to take loot boxes seriously. PC Gamer's Andy Chalk reports that EA Sports FC 27 has been rated PEGI 16, under new criteria that treat paid random items as a risk to children

PEGI announced its new interactive risk criteria in March. They cover in game purchases, paid random items, communication features and features that push players to keep playing. Any game with loot boxes is now rated PEGI 16 by default

Connor Hindle of the UK's Games Rating Authority said new games have been judged this way since June, and some existing titles are being re-rated. Previous FC games were rated PEGI 3. FC 27's rating cites FC Points, the season pass and player packs. VGC reports that Pokemon Go has also moved to 16

The American ratings body, the ESRB, is not following suit, and rates FC 27 as E for Everyone. That means the same game is considered suitable for all ages in the US but for 16 and over in Europe

This is a big change for a game that millions of children play. Parents may now pay more attention to Ultimate Team. Whether a rating change will alter spending habits is another question, but it sends a clear message

Is PEGI right to rate loot box games at 16? And should the ESRB follow?

EA Sports FC 27 gets a PEGI 16 rating in Europe because of loot boxeswww.pcgamer.com