The British Board of Film Classification plays a role in the UK movie industry similar to that of MPAA in the United States: that is, they classify films and videos on the basis of their “suitability for viewing in the home.” The BBFC system uses seven classification levels, ranging from U (for “Universal”) to R18 (available only in specially licensed theaters or shops to those 18 years of age or older.) The BBFC’s mandate also extends to video gams, so the BBFC commissioned a survey on why people play video games…and yet, that’s exactly what they did, interviewing game players, parents, and industry professionals about (among other things) why they play games, what impact games have on their lives, what people think about violence in games, and how they choose what game they play.
“This research provides some valuable insights into why people play video games and what effect they think playing has on themselves and friends,” said David Cooke, Director of the BBFC, in a statement. “It has also highlighted parental attitudes to video games. We hope that it will provide some food for thought for the industry, and everyone who has an interest in the impact of games and we will be taking the research outcomes into account as we review our games classification policies over the coming months.
