Games are played by people of all ages and not just children and are now a mainstream activity, just like music and films. Games are played by people of all ages, so it is likely that either you, a member of your family, some of your friends, or your work colleagues, play computer games regularly.
That is why every game published in the UK has an age rating clearly displayed on the packaging – to help ensure that the right games are enjoyed by the right players. This site is sponsored by the games companies which publish games in the UK – who are as keen as any parent to ensure only suitable games fall into the hands of children and young people.
The way games are played today is shifting drastically - and rapidly. Originally most games were just for one player and played on one computer or games console. But the advent of the high speed internet and the ease with which computers can 'talk' to one another means that increasingly people are playing games 'online.'
Not only are they playing other humans instead of AI (artificial intelligent) opponents, they are playing in games where tens even hundreds and thousands of other human players are competing. One such genre, where more often than not it is thousands of players competing in the same world, is called MMOGs - which stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Games. Another emerging world is the social gaming arena - which is as much entertaining chat room as actual game.
Just how much interaction parents and guardians allow their charges to play is entirely up to them. All of today's next generation consoles (Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii) offer parental controls so that adults can lock down just what, how and how long children play games. Even Windows Vista now includes parental controls - which can even limit gameplay by PEGI descriptors. Elsewhere in Ask About Games we detail the main parental controls available, as well as links to further reading on the websites of Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony.
If you have a question about age ratings or safe playing tips, want to find out about ways to avoid counterfeit products or might be interested in career opportunities within the games industry, then Askaboutgames is here to help.
To see an example of a typical game for a specific age rating, please click on the appropriate symbol.
