Russia is preparing three more projects for labeling video games. UPDATED: There are two projects, Lesta Games is not preparing its own labeling
Russia may launch several experiments with game labeling, reports "Kommersant". The initiatives are being prepared by the Organization for the Development of the Video Game Industry (ODVI) and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
ODVI has already introduced its project. It is called the "Green Labeling of Video Games" and is set to fully launch at the beginning of 2025. According to ODVI, games will be labeled if they meet three criteria: they are developed in Russia, include educational content, and qualify as an e-sports discipline. Participation in the experiment is voluntary. To join, companies must submit their games for review by ODVI experts.
The ODVI initiative has been supported by the associations "R.A.D.I. Video Games" and "ARKI", as well as AppBazar, Langame, HobbyGames, and Kanobu. Meanwhile, the APRIORI association considers this project to be excessive.
As for the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, it, along with other ministries, began working on a game labeling bill back in 2022. According to "Kommersant," the Ministry intends to launch its initiative this summer. While the project's details are not yet available, it has been previously reported in the media that games are expected to be labeled by age categories. The ministry has stated that it supports experiments with voluntary labeling.
Update: the initial report stated that Lesta Games was working on another game labeling project. This is not the case. Lesta Games is one of several gaming companies collaborating with the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation on the ministry’s labeling initiative.
In a comment to "Kommersant," the head of the Moscow division of the studio, Gauhar Aldiyarova, stated that all Lesta Games titles will be labeled in the coming months. She expressed hope that other companies will join the Ministry's initiative and help develop effective criteria for video game evaluation.
