Europe’s video game ratings system is preparing a major update that changes how it judges modern games and their online features.

Pan European Game Information, better known as PEGI, says it will expand its classification criteria starting in June 2026. This will apply to games submitted for rating from that point forward and will look more closely at design features that influence how players interact with games over time.

Under the new changes, PEGI will now weigh gameplay systems tied to online communication, in-game purchases, randomized rewards, and mechanics designed to keep players returning regularly, such as loot boxes.

According to the organization, the aim is to give parents clearer guidance about how contemporary games actually function, especially as many titles increasingly rely on live service features and ongoing monetization systems.

PEGI worked with its internal experts to develop the new criteria and also consulted Germany’s ratings authority, USK. Germany introduced a similar framework in 2023 after changes to the country’s Youth Protection Act required regulators to consider interactive and monetization elements when assigning ratings.

“It was incredibly useful to learn from the experiences of our colleagues in Germany,” says Dirk Bosmans, Director of PEGI. “We are confident that these ambitious updates to PEGI’s classification criteria will provide parents and players with more useful and transparent advice that better reflects the overall experience that players can expect from the video games they play.”

How the new PEGI video game age categories will work

Some of the elements PEGI ...