PEGI to Raise Loot Box Game Ratings to 16+ Across Europe
PEGI is applying its new paid random item category retroactively to existing digital titles rather than only to new releases, which puts long-running online games under the same age standard as new ones.
Reporting from 1 source: Game Spark.
PEGI will begin updating ratings for digital-only games currently rated PEGI 3, 7, or 12 that contain paid random items such as loot boxes, raising them to PEGI 16 starting October 2026. The change follows new classification categories introduced in June. PEGI will re-evaluate existing titles across all stores that use its ratings, a process it says will take time.
The re-evaluation covers paid random items specifically, not all digital games. PEGI has asked publishers to update product lists and keep marketing materials current as ratings change. Director Dirk Bosmans framed the existing-title updates as a way to avoid age ratings becoming inconsistent over time, citing long-running online games that keep receiving updates. The work will roll out across every store using PEGI ratings, and PEGI says completion will take time.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.