What is PEGI?

PEGI (Pan European Game Information) is the age-rating system used across most of Europe. It sorts games into five age labels, 3, 7, 12, 16, and 18.

Each label also carries content descriptors that flag what pushed the rating up, so the number signals suitability, not difficulty.

How PEGI ratings work

A publisher fills in a content questionnaire, and PEGI reviews it before the game reaches shelves. The final age label reflects the strongest content in the game, so one intense scene can lift the whole rating.

Small icons explain the why behind the number. Gambling is one of eight content descriptors, alongside Violence, Bad Language, Fear, Sex, Drugs, Discrimination, and In-Game Purchases.

What each PEGI age label means

• PEGI 3: suitable for all ages, with nothing frightening.
• PEGI 7: mild content, or scenes and sounds that could scare younger children.
• PEGI 12: slightly graphic violence toward fantasy characters, or mild bad language.
• PEGI 16: violence or content that looks the way it would in real life.
• PEGI 18: adult content, including gross or motiveless violence.

PEGI ratings across our game guides

These labels turn up across our lists, from all-ages puzzles to picks aimed at older teens.

• Monument Valley (PEGI 3): a gentle puzzle game that's safe for any age, one of our offline mobile picks.
• CookieRun Kingdom (PEGI 7): the family option among our gacha games, rated 4.8 from more than 1.5 million players.
• Idle Mafia - Tycoon Manager (PEGI 12): the most age-restricted pick in our idle games guide.
• Solo Leveling: ARISE (PEGI 16): the only mobile anime game we ranked that aims past younger teens.