Reeves: Byron Review was too nice

SCEE president David Reeves has politely criticised recommendations made in the Byron Review, telling its author that she has been too nice” to the UK games industry.

At a press conference attended by selected press last week, Reeves told Byron that he was in favour of PEGI becoming the only ratings body for the UK. He added that he wanted PEGI ratings to have ‘more teeth’ and even to become law.

Reeves’ full quotes can be found in the first part of MCV’s ‘The Industry vs. Dr. Tanya Byron’ feature. The series will continue throughout this week.

Reeves told Dr Byron that Sony had itself commissioned research into age ratings classification two years ago, which had concluded that UK parents needed greater education over PEGI ratings. He also said that he would have preferred more direct” recommendations from the Byron Review, but called it a "fine report".

Reeves said: Dr. Byron, I don’t want to be controversial, but I think you’ve been too nice to us. We take this extremely seriously and we were looking for something that was perhaps a little bit more direct.

You mentioned in your prologue that people can take different parts [of the Review] and be happy with it, and I’m not sure that was what we wanted. We wanted you to say: ‘This is what I recommend and this is what I think we should do.’”

The Byron Review recommended that the BBFC have their ratings on the front of all UK video games boxes, and that PEGI ratings should appear on the reverse. The BBFC will grant statutory 12, 15 and 18 ratings, whilst PEGI will continue to rate 3+ and 7+ games.