The conflict between the two UK content classification groups intensifies as one side, ELSPA, today released a report claiming the other, the BBFC, causes an “unnecessary risk” in its game classification policy. Speaking to Edge, the BBFC has responded by slamming the PEGI system as being in danger of becoming less meaningful and at risk of being disregarded.

The struggle between two groups is centred on the UK Government’s plan to establish a new content classification system. Of that new system, there are four suggested options: to either enhance the BBFC’s system, or to enhance the PEGI system, to scrap both systems and use a voluntary code of practice, or to use a hybrid system where PEGI rates games for under 12s and the BBFC rates games for over 12s.

That hybrid system looks increasingly unlikely as both ELSPA and the BBFC continue to publicly and, at times, ruthlessly distance the two policies.

The latest clash between both groups began this morning as ELSPA released details of its own judgment that was submitted to the government throughout the consultancy period on the matter. Of the many criticisms it makes to the BBFC, one finding has clearly rattled the film classification board. ELSPA suggests the BBFC had “downgraded” 22 adult titles given an 18+ rating by PEGI.

"The BBFCs downgrading of games opens up the potential of unnecessary risk for UK children and teenagers when playing games against other non-UK players online," says ELSPA. "Last year, of the 50 games that PEGI rated 18+ and passed to the BBFC for classification, the film rating board downgraded 22 of them – almost 50 percent."

The BBFC looks at the difference in both groups’ approach another way. Speaking to Edge, the BBFC’s Sue Clark claims that “it says specifically in the Byron Review that there is evidence that PEGI were over-rating games and that this was leading to parents not trusting their system and that, in fact I can quote you the paragraph; 7-17 [pdf]; ‘there is a danger that the classifications would become less meaningful and potentially be disregarded.’”

The BBFC claim that it is not downgrading titles, but more to the point the PEGI system is rating content far too highly and inconsistently. “There is a very good example of this in Mass Effect,” says Clark. “We gave the game a 12 rating and they gave it an 18+. This has obviously been ridiculed soundly because the content and action is very much like an episode of Star Trek.”

The BBFC say that the whole rating system is at risk of being compromised with this outlook. “If you have parents looking at an 18+ PEGI rating for something like Mass Effect, only to discover what the game is actually like, then there’s a danger that the whole system won’t be taken seriously.”

Clark does add that the BBFC sometimes does give higher ratings than the PEGI system, citing two titles: “Destroy all Humans was given a 12+ by PEGI and we gave it a 15 because we had concerns that, while there is a comic context to it, you are able to burn human beings alive and watch them screaming. They thought that was okay for twelve-year-olds.”