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The current practice of self-regulation by the video game industry through confirming age ratings following the game’s release is problematic.
This column represents the author’s personal opinion.
Content warning: This article contains depictions of sexual violence against minors.
Even though this op-ed was published one week ago and focuses extensively on the German video game age rating system, I also wanted our English speaking audience to be able to read it.
IARC – Worldwide age rating system
The International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) is an association of organizations that specializes in the global age rating of online games and apps based on a questionnaire completed by publishers. Since the amendment to youth protection law in Germany in May 2021, all digital games, which I’ll focus on, are required to have an age rating. In Germany, the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle; USK) is responsible for assigning age ratings based on Sections 12 and 14 of the Youth Protection Act (Jugendschutzgesetz; JuSchG) (data storage-based games) and the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag; JMStV) (digital games). Typically, a video game gets checked by a tester, and the age rating is confirmed by an official government representative. USK joined IARC in 2013, as have the ESRB in North America, PEGI (Europe), ClassInd (Brazil), ACB (Australia), GRAC (South Korea), and TCA (Taiwan) subsequently. Instead of having to laboriously play each title themselves, they rely on the publisher’s accurate information in a questionnaire, which they get linked to during the submission process on the respective digital store. This process is currently used by almost all digital stores that sell video games, including the Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, Microsoft/Xbox Store, Epic Games Store, Origin/EA Store, Meta Quest Store, PICO Store, Google Play Store, Apple App Store, the cloud subscription service Amazon Luna, and the island creator program in the popular online game Fortnite. You may have noticed one exception: Steam, arguably the most popular marketplace for digital PC games. According to media reports, no games can be published on Steam in Germany without an age rating since last October. These age ratings can also differ in each participating country due to IARC taking the standards of each rating board being taken into account. In addition, content warnings are assigned, for example on topics such as violence and war, threats and fear, sex, addictive substances or gambling themes, as well as usage warnings, for example on in-game purchases.
Back to IARC, which seems to focus entirely on youth protection. Quote from USK: “With the IARC system, age ratings are based on criteria of impairment for minors. Aspects of criminal law, copyright law, and other legal areas are not taken into account. Age ratings assigned by state representatives in the regular USK review process under the Youth Protection Act also differ visually from the IARC ratings. They are primarily used for games sold in brick-and-mortar stores (e.g., in retail stores).”
BzKJ – Indexing games
In addition to the industry’s own self-regulatory body, the USK, there is also the state-run Federal Agency for Child and Youth Media Protection (Bundeszentrale fĂŒr Kinder- und Jugendmedienschutz; BzKJ), which was known until 2003 as the Federal Review Board for Publications Harmful to Young Persons (BundesprĂŒfstelle fĂŒr jugendgefĂ€hrdende Schriften; BPjS) and until April 2021 as the Federal Review Board for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BundesprĂŒfstelle fĂŒr jugendgefĂ€hrdende Medien; BPjM). It is responsible for youth media protection in Germany according to Section 17 (2) of the JuSchG. Older readers may remember the numerous games being put on the “index” (and therefore they can’t be advertised, covered by media or sold freely) by the BPjS in the 1990s and early 2000s. In recent years, however, indexing games has become much more rare, with removals becoming more commonplace, such as Aliens versus Predator (1999) on February 26th of this year. Pursuant to Section 21 (2) of the JuSchG, applications for indexing can be submitted to the BzKJ by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, the highest state youth protection authorities, the central supervisory authority of the states for youth media protection, the state youth welfare offices, the youth welfare offices, the recognized voluntary self-regulatory bodies and the internet complaint offices funded by the federal government, the states, or the state media authorities. In addition, various authorities such as the police or schools as well as educational and youth institutions can submit suggestions and the head of the BzKJ can initiate an investigation on their own initiative if youth protection requires it. However, indexing a digital-only game appears to be considerably more difficult. The USK writes: “USK ratings provide information about potential developmental impairments for children and young people of a specific age group. At the same time, the USK rating and approval of a game excludes any presumption that a game is harmful to young people â thus, a game with a USK rating can no longer be indexed by the Federal Review Board.” Since the IARC process requires the game companies themselves to generate a USK rating by using the aforementioned questionaire, it is questionable whether indexing is even possible then. Hopefully USK can still initiate indexing after a game was released and they confirmed the actual age rating, otherwise, the BzKJ has little room to maneuver in the digital space.
The individual case – from USK 16 at midnight to USK 18 within 8 hours
Hopefully, you now have a rough idea of ââhow digital games get their age ratings. A specific case prompted me to delve deeper into the topic. When you report on video games, you often receive requests from PR agencies commissioned by the game publishers to test unreleased games. Naturally, the amount of information you have at this point is quite limited, such as the bits of info provided by the publisher in the press release or on the respective product listing on a digital storefront. You’re only able to get a real impression of the game by playing it. So I redeemed the Steam code provided by a PR agency, downloaded the game and launched it. The game is visual novel in a historical setting. The publisher states that it deals with dark themes, but that it is historically based. You take the role of a young man surrounded by even younger children, some well under the age of 12. The overall tone of the game is incredibly disturbing. Visual novels typically lack sophisticated gameplay mechanics, but instead focus on the story, which you can somewhat usually shape by your decisions. In the first few hours of the game, the protagonist vehemently demands that a young girl undresses under threat of violence and pins her to the ground. The player has no choice – as soon as they refuse to continue, they’re met with a game over screen. Now, there is media that seriously address such extremely sensitive topics, carefully depicting it from the victim’s perspective. Here, the opposite occurs: the player is forced to threaten sexual violence against children and shows no remorse and the game lacks any form of reflection. Games have been put on the index for far less in the past.
I decided not to mention the game’s title to avoid attracting more promotional attention and instead informed the relevant authorities. Steam was informed of the game’s content on April 23rd, 2024 (the game’s release date; age rating in Germany: 18+ (“sexual violence”)) via the platform’s reporting function, and Nintendo was informed via its press office on March 6th, 2025 (one week before the game was released on the Switch eShop; initial age rating: USK/PEGI 16). I referenced my experiences and those of other users found in the negative Steam reviews. I filed complaints regarding the 16+ rating with USK and PEGI via their websites on February 19th, 2025 and March 6th, 2025, respectively. In addition I asked the USK to review whether the game warrants being put on the index, noting that it could be forwarded to the German Federal Association of Game Authorities (BzKJ). Below you’ll find the responses from Nintendo, USK and PEGI. Steam and IARC, to whom the message addressed to the USK was forwarded, have not yet commented. The responses are, just like in the German version, kept in their original language.
left to right: Product listings on Nintendo eShop (Germany: screen 1 taken @ March 13th, 0:39 CET, screen 2 @ 8:30 CET; Austria: screen 3 @ 8:30 CET)
left to right: Product listing on Nintendo eShop and on Steam Store taken @ March 13th, 8:30 CET
Reply by Nintendo Germany’s press office from March 10th/11th, 2025 (excerpt):
“Vielen Dank fĂŒr deinen Hinweis bezĂŒglich der vergebenen Altersfreigabe des Videospiels […] des Publishers […], dem wir bereits nachgehen. Wir hatten sofort nach Erhalt deiner E-Mail diesbezĂŒglich bei unseren Ansprechpartnern der Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) sowie Pan European Game Information (PEGI) angefragt, die bereits die vergebene Altersfreigabe prĂŒfen und dir auch direkt auf deine Nachricht antworten werden.”
“Wir haben daher nochmals PEGI informiert und Spielszenen der Steam version geschickt, die auch fĂŒr die Version fĂŒr Nintendo Switch dringend geprĂŒft werden sollen.”
Addition from March 13th, 2025:
“Zur Vergabe der Altersfreigabe eines im Nintendo eShop veröffentlichten Titels wird die Version fĂŒr Nintendo Switch von den jeweiligen PrĂŒfstellen beurteilt.”
Reply by USK from March 7th, 2025 (excerpt):
“Die Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) ist eine freiwillige Einrichtung der Gamesbranche. Sie ist seit dem 01.04.2003 auf Grund der Vereinbarung zwischen den LĂ€ndern und den WirtschaftsverbĂ€nden im Rahmen des gesetzlichen Jugendschutzes (§ 14JuSchG) zustĂ€ndig fĂŒr die PrĂŒfung zur Alterseinstufung von digitalen Spielen in Deutschland. Die USK ist sowohl unter dem Jugendschutzgesetz als auch fĂŒr den Online-Bereich unter dem Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag als zustĂ€ndige Selbstkontrolle staatlich anerkannt. Im Bereich des Jugendschutzgesetzes erteilen staatliche Vertreter am Ende eines USK-Verfahrens die Alterskennzeichen. DarĂŒber hinaus vergibt die USK Alterskennzeichen auch innerhalb des internationalen IARC-Systems fĂŒr Online-Spiele und Apps. Das Spiel hat  ein sogenanntes IARC-Verfahren (International Age Rating Coalition) durchlaufen. Ăber das IARC-Verfahren können  Sie hier mehr erfahren. Ich habe Ihr Schreiben mit der Bitte um Beantwortung an IARC weitergeleitet.”
Reply by PEGI from March 10th, 2025 (excerpt):
“The game […] has yet to be released on the platforms for which it has acquired a PEGI rating. Note that the PEGI rating currently depicted on the eShop is âprovisionalâ: it has not yet been verified by PEGI. Thatâs because it has been rated through a global age rating procedure called IARC, which is for digital-only releases and works on the basis of post-release verification. PEGI can/will verify the rating as soon as possible after the gameâs released. Consequently, we cannot provide any further comment at this time.”
While the lack of response from Steam is more than just sobering, I find the lack of transparency regarding the creation of the age rating particularly worrying. There is no reference to USK, PEGI or IARC on the Steam product page. However, Nintendo has been very transparent in its communication and appears to be pursuing the matter with the necessary seriousness and urgency. From the relatively quick responses from USK and PEGI, I gather that the IARC system is putting obstacles in their way when it comes to reviewing a specific title before release. Checking the age rating after release is simply too late. The game was released at midnight as “16+” (USK/PEGI), and it wasn’t until shortly after 8 a.m. that I discovered that the USK age rating had been changed to “18+” and the content warning “sexual violence” had been added. At the time of publication of this post (March 13th, 2025, 12:30 p.m.), the game is still available with a PEGI age rating of “16+” in Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and South Africa. I couldn’t find any indication on the product listing that the PEGI rating is “provisional”.
If an industry wants to regulate itself in an effective manner, a video game should be made available to the bodies responsible for assigning age ratings in advance, especially if there’s been a report of at least potentially harmful content in a version for another platform â regardless of whether the report was made by someone with a mini-publication behind them. The IARC system is quite advantageous, providing much needed relief for rating boards and simplifying approval for indie developers in particular. However, in this case, it has failed to ensure adequate protection of minors on a global scale, which seems dependent on how quickly each individual rating board reacts following a game’s release. With this op-ed, I hope to provide food for thought to further optimize the system and to avoid treating digital video game ratings as an optional day one patch.
Update: March 13th, 2025, 18:20 CET
In the meantime, the USK body responsible for reviewing IARC classifications announced the following today:
“vielen Dank fĂŒr Ihre Mail und das Interesse an dem USK-Kennzeichen von […]. Apps und reine Online-Spiele wie […] erhalten in der Regel nicht durch das klassische PrĂŒfverfahren der USK ihre Alterskennzeichen, sondern durch das IARC-System. Die rechtliche Grundlage dafĂŒr stellt nicht das Jugendschutzgesetz dar, sondern der Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag. Beim IARC-Verfahren fĂŒhren Anbieter vor Veröffentlichung ihres Produktes eine Selbstauskunft zu jugendschutzrelevanten Inhalten durch, welche auf international entwickelten Kriterien basiert. Die entsprechenden Antworten werden automatisch nach einer von der USK festgelegten und in Deutschland gĂŒltigen Gewichtung ausgewertet. Dies fĂŒhrt direkt zu der im jeweiligen Store angezeigten USK-Alterskennzeichnung. Diesem System ist es zu verdanken, dass alle erhĂ€ltlichen Onlineangebote einer teilnehmenden Plattform direkt im Moment ihrer Veröffentlichung eingestuft und mit dem ermittelten Kennzeichen angezeigt werden können. SelbstverstĂ€ndlich fĂŒhren wir als USK wie auch unsere internationalen Partner jeden Tag umfassende Tests durch, um die auf diese Weise generierten Kennzeichen zu ĂŒberprĂŒfen. Sollte eine Fehleinstufung vorliegen, so korrigieren wir diese umgehend. Die USK vergibt ihre Alterskennzeichen innerhalb des internationalen IARC-Systems nur fĂŒr Online-Spiele und Apps, die sich auf den digitalen Storefronts unserer Partner befinden. Dazu zĂ€hlen: Nintendo eShop, Google Play Store, Microsoft Store Xbox, Sony PlayStation Store, Meta Store, Pico, Luna, Epic Games, Fortnite Store. Steam nimmt nicht an dem globalen Bewertungsstandard von IARC teil. Insofern ist die USK fĂŒr diese digitale Storefront nicht zustĂ€ndig. Durch die immense Anzahl an verschiedenen Angeboten innerhalb der bei uns angeschlossenen Storefronts sind Hinweise wie Ihre RĂŒckmeldung zu dem Spiel […] fĂŒr uns stets sehr wertvoll. Wir haben das Spiel nach Erhalt Ihrer Mail eingehend geprĂŒft. Dabei haben wir festgestellt, dass es nach unseren Kriterien nicht korrekt eingestuft wurde. Nach IARC-Kriterien können z.B. die von Ihnen beschriebenen Inhalte fĂŒr Kinder und Jugendliche unter 18 Jahren entwicklungsbeeintrĂ€chtigend sein. Das zutreffende, neue USK-Kennzeichen ab 18 Jahren wird nun bei unseren Partnern angezeigt. Zudem haben wir den Verdacht, dass das Spiel Indizierungskriterien erfĂŒllen könnte, weshalb wir zusĂ€tzlich die Bundeszentrale fĂŒr Kinder- und Jugendmedienschutz (BzKJ) als dafĂŒr zustĂ€ndige Behörde informiert haben. Wir danken Ihnen fĂŒr diesen Hinweis.”
I mentioned the JuSchG at the beginning, as the USK generally awards labels for retail games based on it, and to avoid confusion, the wording has been adjusted accordingly. I also understand from the information that indexing a digital game is possible even after an IARC-based USK label has been awarded based on the JMStV, unlike after an USK label has been awarded to a retail game based on the JuSchG. Should new developments arise, I will update this post accordingly.
Update:Â March 16th, 2025, 22:00 CET
The game covered in the individual case section has since been rated 18+ on the product pages of the countries listed above, where it was still rated PEGI 16 on the day of release (including Austria and Switzerland) and it’s been marked with a content warning for “Sexual Violence”.
