Video games provide entertainment, education, and, importantly, a means of connecting and socialising with friends. The video games industry takes practical steps to ensure that all players have a positive gaming experience and works tirelessly to ensure that video gameplay is an enjoyable, safe experience for all, especially younger players.

This holiday season, we're reminding parents of the easy-to-use tools that are available to help manage video gameplay, including what children are playing, who they are playing with, how long they are playing for, and how much they can spend. Follow the steps below to #SeizeTheControls and ensure video gameplay is always a happy, positive, rewarding experience for all.

#SeizetheControls is a public awareness campaign launched by the Video Games Europe, the European trade association representing the video games industry.

How to engage in responsible gameplay:

Whether your children are playing for fun, to learn, to connect or to get fit, we want you to have the support and confidence you need to manage their screen time, spending and access to age-appropriate content. So before or while they play, take a moment to #SeizeTheControls by:

Check the games’ PEGI ratings

PEGI, or Pan European Game Information, provides age labelling and content descriptors that alert parents to in-game purchases, bad language, violence, frightening content, drugs, sex or discrimination, for example. PEGI help you make informed decisions when purchasing video games, whether these are played on console, computer, tablet or mobile phone. At home or on the move, this information is accessible through the PEGI app or the PEGI website. The app is available in nine languages: English, French, Polish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Swedish.

All major video games and platforms have PEGI ratings as an integral part of their parental controls systems.

Back to top

What do the PEGI labels mean

PEGI website

Use parental controls and smartphone apps. Set-up limits that work for you and your child.

Back to top

Parental control systems are available on all video game consoles, tablets, smartphones, and handheld devices, as well as PC and Mac operating systems, to assist parents in managing online interaction, playtime, spending, and access to age-appropriate video games. These are designed to be as simple to use as possible.

We recommend that you use these tools not only to control the gameplay but also as a starting point for conversations with your child in order to establish the rules that work best for you and your family.

Manage play by age rating and descriptors.

Select which games you are happy for your children to play (based on the PEGI age ratings).

Manage time spent playing

Manage and control the amount of time your children can spend playing games. More on weekends, less on weekdays? Find the balance.

Restrict communication with others

Some games allow players to interact with one another within the game. The parental control settings allow you to limit or even prevent your child from communicating with other players. You can set the communications to friends only, friends of friends, anyone, or no one.

Control spending

Some video games may offer the opportunity to make purchases within the game but this will be indicated on the game by a PEGI in-game purchase descriptor so you will be made aware of this.

Parental controls at your fingertips

Publisher’s own platforms increasingly offer parental controls tools and additional verification mechanisms.

Play together! Talk to your children about their games and discuss online safety and ground rules.

Video gameplay is not only fun and entertaining, but it is also a learning experience. So why not join your kids when they are playing and talk with them about what the gameplay and who they're playing with, and take the opportunity to explain why certain games may not be suitable for them. It is the best way to engage with them.

Research shows that families that play together and/or take the time to discuss video game play have the healthiest relationship with video game playing, get the most out of it, and have the fewest arguments about play time.

Back to top

Check out resources available in your local language

Check out resources available in your local language

There are substantial benefits to video games such as improving motor skills, problem solving skills, team building skills, memory, attention and concentration, multi-tasking and social skills.

Research shows that girls who play video games are three times more likely to enrol in STEAM programmes than girls who don’t play.

Back to top

Enjoy the benefits of playing games!

There are substantial benefits to video games such as improving motor skills, problem solving skills, team building skills, memory, attention and concentration, multi-tasking and social skills.

Research shows that girls who play video games are three times more likely to enrol in STEAM programmes than girls who don’t play.

Back to top

Back to top

Download these resources and share them with your teacher, other parents, and people you may know