Japan adopts new content ratings for videogames

A new system for providing information about videogames is set to be introduced in Japan shortly, with the Computer Entertainment Rating Organisation creating nine new ratings covering a wide range of mature or objectionable content.

The new rating system includes symbols to indicate mature situations, sex, violence, horror, gambling, crime, smoking/drinking, drugs and explicit dialogue, and games carrying those symbols will begin to appear on Japanese retail shelves from June onwards.

Up until now, CERO has had only four very broad rating categories for games - a universal rating, and 12, 15 and 18 age ratings, much like the system used by most European rating boards.

The move to a more accurate way of conveying the content of games is designed to allow parents to be more selective about the type of games that their children play, and mirrors a similar move which saw the introduction of informative symbols on game packaging in Europe earlier this year.