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BBFC May Sue ELSPA Over Traffic-Light

Rob Crossley's picture

By Rob Crossley

October 29, 2008

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The BBFC has told Edge it is taking legal advice after observing that the newly-proposed ‘traffic-light’ PEGI symbols bear a striking resemblance to its own. 

Yesterday the videogame consortium ELSPA unveiled the proposed PEGI colour-coded age-rating system that would use “clear and easy” symbols to illustrate the content of videogames that carry them.  

The BBFC, however, believes such a system is around already. “Our classification symbols have been colour-coded since 1982. They’re very widely recognised, and in fact they are trademark and copyright protected,” a company spokesperson told Edge.  

“We’re happy for ELSPA to make sensible improvements, but not if they encroach on the protection of the BBFC’s symbols. We have these symbols using colours, using circles and using numbers, so we are now taking legal advice.” 

The BBFC added that it has challenged numerous organisations before who have “tried to exploit the recognisability of the BBFC symbols”.

CalKill's picture
On October 30th CalKill said:

As jabobpbarker said, it's only the colours of the 12 and 18 that are similar. The PEGI symbols don't have 'PEGI' all over the background and BBFC use triangles for U and PG, whereas PEGI's proposed system uses a circles throughout.

This is just unnecessarily postponing a comprehensive game rating system that will stop people accusing them of influencing people.

Manu_G's picture
On October 29th Manu_G said:

The green, yellow and red coding system is an international standard, the BBFC might as well sue traffic lights all over the world!

jacobpbarker's picture
On October 29th jacobpbarker said:

Only the '12' and '18' look at all similar. I think it's pretty petty to be honest.

Games need a clear and defined rating system. Please go away BBFC.