The range of digital games on offer is now huge. Whether via smartphone, tablet, PC or console – as a parent, it’s easy to lose track of the wealth of adventure and action games, educational and strategy games, simulations and role-playing games. For many children and young people, the fascination with games not only means fun in their everyday lives, but can also have other positive side effects such as creativity. As is usually the case with media use, the same applies here: The extent and selection of games are crucial for responsible use: age labels provide initial guidance.
Germany has the most binding legal regulations for the testing and sale of digital games in the world. The protection of minors plays a major role here. As with most entertainment products, parents should also make sure that the product is safe for their child’s age. This is exactly what the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body, USK for short, checks and assigns age ratings.
These provide information on whether, from the point of view of the protection of minors, the game does not contain any developmentally harmful content or unsecured risks due to online functions for the respective age. The following age ratings are available:
Additional information is provided alongside the USK age rating. These provide information about the reasons that led to the age rating (such as “violence”, “pressure to act” or “incriminating themes”). And they indicate which possible aspects of use you should pay attention to (such as “in-game purchases” or chats”). Here, the individual notes are explained in more detail.
The age ratings can be found on all game packaging and on many popular gaming platforms. The USK age ratings for online games, which are awarded as part of the international IARC (International Age Rating Coalition) system, also meet the high German youth standards. They are available in all connected systems. These include the Google Play Store, Nintendo eShop, Microsoft Store for Windows and Xbox, PlayStation Store, Epic Games Store, Fortnite, Meta Quest Store, Pico Store and Amazon Luna.
Since 2021, there has been a labeling requirement for very large online gaming platforms. Not all platforms have signed up to the international IARC age classification system. They use their own labeling systems and therefore sometimes display different age labels.
In the European trading area, there are also PEGI (Pan European Games Information) age ratings on game packaging with the age levels 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18. The age recommendation is the result of a common European approach to the protection of minors. For distribution in Germany, however, the USK age ratings are legally binding.
In addition to the age labels, which are based on a youth protection test, there are also a number of educational age recommendations. These provide parents with information on whether games are suitable for a certain age, i.e. whether they are manageable and understandable. Comprehensive educational assessments can be found, for example, on the website of Spieleratgeber NRW.
When choosing digital games, you should first know what your child likes to play. Find out about the game in question and refer to the age rating and additional information. The USK has compiled a lexicon with the most common terms from the games sector. Observe your child as he or she interacts with the content. Every child is different and develops differently. Knowing about the possible challenges in play makes it easier for you to actively support your child in digital play and take appropriate protective measures. Sometimes it makes sense to see whether other options are more suitable. In any case, stay in contact with your child and set fair rules together. Just see if other offers are more suitable.
