On March 12, 2026, the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) system, which classifies video games by age appropriateness, announced updates to its video game age-rating framework, adding new criteria that directly address monetisation models and urgency‑based sales tactics aimed at younger users. As these changes will take effect in June 2026, game publishers should consider proactively assessing their upcoming titles to determine whether any planned features might trigger a higher PEGI rating.
The classification criteria have been expanded, with the key updates summarised below:
|
Game Feature |
Minimum PEGI Rating |
|
Loot boxes/paid random items (e.g. card packs, gacha systems) |
PEGI 16 |
|
Time- or quantity-limited offers (e.g. countdown timers, scarcity mechanics) |
PEGI 12 |
|
Use of NFTs/blockchains |
PEGI 18 |
|
Reward-based login systems |
PEGI 7 |
|
Mechanics that penalise missed logins (e.g. loss of progress) |
PEGI 12 |
|
Unrestricted online communications (e.g. absence of blocking or reporting tools) |
PEGI 18 |
In its announcement, PEGI noted that it had updated its age-rating system in an effort to “bolster online safety and meet the concerns and questions of today’s parents.”
In-game monetisation has garnered attention from European regulators. In March 2025, the European Commission’s Consumer Protection Cooperation Network published a guide on in-game virtual currencies, outlining seven principles to help “traders in the gaming sector to act in line with the European consumer protection legislation when offering in-game virtual currencies.” Each of the principles ties back to existing EU laws, including the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, the Capital Requirements Directive, and the Unfair Contract Terms Directive, which may signal a growing interest in regulating digital transactions in the bloc. In its March 2026 update, PEGI included new age-rating measures for titles offering purchases of in-game content and paid random items, as well as for NFT and blockchain usage.
When updating its age-rating system, PEGI collaborated with the German age-rating authority (USK); the authority made similar rating changes in the country in 2023, after regulators updated the German Youth Protection Act.
While PEGI’s new system has not yet taken effect, game publishers will soon be required to share additional information about the titles they publish if the newly regulated features exist in the game. PEGI administrators would then take those features into consideration when determining the relevant age classification for the game. According to PEGI, publishers may submit games to the system to be examined prior to their announcement and/or release.
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