Age ratings of games in Russia

On September 1, the law “On the Protection of children from information that harms their health and development” comes into force in the Russian Federation. In particular, this also applies to the mandatory labeling of computer games by age categories, which are given in the law. 

There are five ratings in total: 0+, 6+, 12+, 16+, 18+. By area, the marking should occupy at least 5%. 

According to the text of the law, the compliance of a game with a particular category is determined by the publisher independently. In case of examination and detection of violations, a fine of 20 to 500 thousand rubles is charged. 

It is worth noting that many publishers have been voluntarily using the European PEGI rating system for a long time. The system is supported by most manufacturers of video game consoles, as well as publishers and developers of interactive games. But the question here is rather not the willingness of publishers to divide games by age categories, but the need for labeling for the users themselves. According to a study by the Digital Spy portal, 71% of British gamers do not pay attention to age restrictions at all and only 5% consider them mandatory.