Mass Effect for Adults Only on new UK Ratings Scheme

Bioware's hit Xbox 360 & PC RPG Mass Effect is to get a hefty rating classification upgrade - meaning the game cannot be sold to anybody under the age of 18.

Today the UK government announced that control of classification of videogames would be handed over to PEGI, the Pan European Games Information group. Previously ratings of games of a 12 rating and above were handed to the BBFC, who usually handle movies.

PEGI are significantly stricter than the BBFC, and so the change-over will see several games jump rating by as much as 6 years in the UK. Mass Effect was previously rated a 12 by the BBFC but is rated 18 by PEGI.

Other casualties include Microsoft's Crackdown and Activision's Call of Duty: World at War (up to an 18 from a 15) and Eidos' Tomb Raider Underworld (up to a 16 from a 12.)

PEGI have previously stated that they believe the BBFC were far too lenient with their games ratings, and with their ratings set to become the sole system in the UK and enforced by law, plenty of younger UK gamers could miss out on the delights of Mass Effect 2 next year unless a parent accompanies them to purchase it.

Meanwhile other hit RPG titles would also get hit by the change in the law: Currently Final Fantasy XII can be sold to anybody, but under the new rules it can only be sold to those older than 16. Even Chrono Trigger DS suffers a similar fate, and will only be allowed to be sold to those over 12.

At the time of publishing PEGI were unavailable to comment on Mass Effect's rating. We'll bring you more on the ratings change as we get it.