“Another example is Singles: Flirt up your Life, which is a game that basically gives the players a chance to engage in interactive sex. As part of this game is essentially a sex simulator, it is adult content so we gave it an 18, PEGI gave it a 16+.”

ELSPA’s earlier report had clearly rattled the BBFC, who admit that they are not in the business of ‘mud slinging’ but feel clarification in this issue is necessary. Earlier today ELSPA stated that the “BBFC is not the best body to rate games as it was not designed for games. It is a film censors body which has tried to adapt itself to an interactive media.”

ELSPA added that the PEGI system is the only one that can properly safeguard online content, and that the BBFC’s online classification system is not working: “If the UK were to 'go it alone' on age ratings, children would not be properly protected in the online space which is by far the most rapidly growing segment of the video games market."

As the accusations intensify so do the responses, with Clark stating that: “There are two people in the video standards council who check the PEGI system in the UK. We have been classifying games for 20 years and we have a dozen people, some of which come from the videogame industry, so why PEGI are saying that their two evaluators are better at handling online content than us is beyond me.”

“The fact is that the PEGI online system only has 18 members, because the games industry doesn’t think much of it. ELSPA say that we won’t co-operate with PEGI; they are the ones who are throwing mud, they are the ones who are constantly shouting about the BBFC. We have said that we would be prepared to work with PEGI to make [the online classificaton policy] more robust. ”

Consultation on the matter of a new classification system for games has finished today, and a decision will be reached in March by the Department for Children.