PEGI Finally Addresses Loot Boxes and Addictive Game Design With New Ratings

Europe's official game age-rating body, PEGI, is introducing four new rating categories starting July 2026, targeting in-game purchases, loot boxes, addictive design mechanics, and unmoderated online communities.

For years, PEGI primarily classified games based on content like violence, sexual themes, and drug use. Interactive mechanics that could influence spending habits or addictive behavior largely flew under the radar, at least in terms of official age classification. That changes this summer.

According to PEGI, the new system was developed in collaboration with internal expert committees and the German ratings authority USK, which had already rolled out similar changes back in 2023. Because of that, these new criteria will not apply to Germany, where equivalent rules are already in place.

Here is a breakdown of how the new rating categories will work:

In-Game Purchases

• Games with time-limited or quantity-limited paid offers (such as expiring battle passes) will receive a minimum PEGI 12 rating.

• Games tied to NFTs or blockchain mechanics will be rated PEGI 18.

• If a game includes parental controls that disable spending by default, the rating could drop to PEGI 7.

Paid Random Items (Loot Boxes)

• Any game featuring loot boxes, gacha systems, or randomized paid content will default to a PEGI 16.

• Social casino-style games will receive a PEGI 18.

Play-by-Appointment Mechanics

• Games that reward players for returning regularly, like daily quests or login streaks, will be rated PEGI 7.

• If a game punishes players for not returning, such as removing earned content or resetting progress, it bumps up to a PEGI 12.

Online Community Features

• Games with fully unrestricted communication and no moderation or reporting tools will be rated PEGI 18.

The most talked-about consequence of these changes is the impact on EA Sports FC. The game currently holds a PEGI 3 rating despite its Ultimate Team mode offering randomized card packs, which are essentially loot boxes. Under the new criteria, FC 26 is expected to carry a PEGI 16 rating going forward.

The part about unrestricted online communication is also worth paying attention to. Games with zero moderation tools will be slapped with a PEGI 18, but PEGI director general Dirk Bosmans noted that such games would likely run into bigger legal issues anyway. "Specifically for the UK and the UK Online Safety Act, this game would be illegal for sale in the United Kingdom. So we don't expect to see many of these games. This is more like a line in the sand."

Bosmans also addressed how significant this shift really is for the organization. "This is, in terms of scope and quantitatively speaking, probably the most significant update we've had in our history," he said.