PEGI has five age ratings: PEGI 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18. The number tells you which age the content of a game suits, not how difficult the game is. Next to the number you will find icons (content descriptors) that explain why, such as violence, bad language or in-game purchases. Since June 2026, paid random items and other interactive risks also affect the rating, and since October 2026 PEGI has been re-rating older digital-only games with loot boxes. The information is valid as of 20 October 2026.
What PEGI is
PEGI is the European age rating system for games. It is used and recognised throughout Europe and has the support of the European Commission. Germany also uses its own legal system, the USK.
Keep in mind what PEGI does not rate: difficulty. A PEGI 3 game can be hard for a small child and a PEGI 16 game can be simple. The label only describes the content and which age it suits.
The five age ratings
A short paraphrase of the official descriptions on the PEGI website:
| Rating | What the game may contain |
|---|---|
| PEGI 3 | Suitable for all age groups. Nothing that would frighten young children. Only very mild violence in a comical or childlike setting, no bad language. |
| PEGI 7 | Scenes or sounds that may frighten younger children. Very mild violence that is implied, non-detailed or non-realistic. |
| PEGI 12 | More graphic violence towards fantasy characters or non-realistic violence towards human characters. Sexual innuendo or posturing, and only mild bad language. |
| PEGI 16 | Violence or sexual activity looks the way it would in real life. Stronger bad language, and the use of tobacco, alcohol or drugs may appear. |
| PEGI 18 | Gross violence, apparently motiveless killing or violence towards defenceless characters. Glamorisation of drug use, simulated gambling or explicit sexual activity. |
The full wording is on the PEGI page What do the labels mean.
Some non-game apps in storefronts connected to the IARC system show a “PEGI!” label (Parental Guidance Recommended) instead of a number. It is used mainly for apps with user-generated content such as Facebook or YouTube.
What the icons (descriptors) mean
The icons next to the number explain why a game got its rating. For some descriptors PEGI fixes which ratings they belong to:
- Violence, Bad Language and Fear / Horror: describe what you see or hear in the game, and the intensity matches the age rating.
- Gambling: the theme of gambling means PEGI 12, simulated casino games mean PEGI 18.
- Sex: PEGI 12, 16 or 18 depending on the level.
- Drugs: always PEGI 16 or 18.
- Discrimination: always PEGI 18.
- In-game Purchases: appears whenever you can pay real money in the game. That covers extra content, upgrades, removing ads, subscriptions and virtual currency.
New rules since June 2026
Since June 2026, so-called interactive risks affect the age rating too. PEGI adds them as a text descriptor, and the rules apply to games submitted for rating since June 2026:
- Paid random items, meaning purchases where you do not know what you will get, such as loot boxes or card packs: the game gets PEGI 16, social casino games PEGI 18.
- Time-limited offers: PEGI 12. If the game has its own parental controls with spending turned off by default, it can get PEGI 7.
- NFTs and cryptocurrency required to play: PEGI 18.
- Pressure to play (daily quests, log-in streak rewards): PEGI 7. If the game punishes players by taking away rewards or status when they do not come back in time, it gets PEGI 12.
- Unrestricted communication: if you cannot block or mute communication and there is no moderation, the game gets PEGI 18.
For parents, this means a higher number no longer has to mean violence. A game without blood can be PEGI 16 because of loot boxes, so read the text descriptor next to the label as well. How paid random items work in gacha games and how to set a spending limit for your child is covered in gacha games spending.
Older games re-rated since October 2026
Since October 2026, PEGI has been updating the ratings of a selection of existing games. Digital-only games rated PEGI 3, 7 or 12 that contain paid random items get PEGI 16 with the Paid random items descriptor. The change runs across all storefronts that use PEGI ratings and, according to PEGI, will take some time. A game your child has played for years can therefore show a higher number in the store even though nothing in it changed. Read the PEGI announcement for details.
Check the current rating of a specific game directly in the store where you buy it.
Parental controls on each platform
According to PEGI, parental controls let you choose games by age rating, limit and monitor spending, restrict browsing and chat, and set playing time. You set them up in the account of the platform your child plays on. Our guides walk you through it:
- PS5 parental controls
- Xbox parental controls
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Steam: parental controls are part of Steam Families
- Fortnite: Fortnite parental controls
- Roblox: Roblox parental controls
Join our Discord and ask other parents and players how they handle age ratings and spending: Discord GamersTogether.
FAQ
No. PEGI only rates whether the content suits a certain age, it does not judge difficulty.
For example because of paid random items such as loot boxes. Games submitted since June 2026 get PEGI 16 for them, and since October 2026 PEGI has been re-rating older digital-only games rated PEGI 3, 7 or 12 the same way.
That you can pay real money in the game, for example for extra content, upgrades, removing ads, subscriptions or virtual currency.
The “PEGI!” label means Parental Guidance Recommended. Some non-game apps with user-generated content get it in storefronts connected to the IARC system.
Information verified on 20 October 2026. More guides for players and parents are in the Gaming Platforms & Services section.