PEGI better than BBFC, says Microsoft

Giving evidence to a Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee today, Matt Lambert, Microsoft's head of corporate affairs in the UK, said that the PEGI ratings system was better than the BBFC version.

"If there's going to be one ratings system, it should be PEGI," he said. "With PEGI, they think very carefully about age appropriacy… but the BBFC is set up to rate films, and it takes that approach for games when a different approach is required.

"PEGI breaks it down to a different level. If there's bad language it will give you a specific symbol, if there's gambling there's another symbol, and some games will have a whole raft of symbols on the back. It's a different depth, it's more sensible, and it also has a European aspect to it."

The news is likely to cast fear into the hearts of games makers, who are banking on Tanya Byron to recommend that a new ratings agency is set up in the UK in her government report next month, as opposed to all games being rated by the BBFC.