Interviews// Keith Ramsdale: Electronic Arts Vice President

SPOnG: There’s quite a lot of confusion among consumers about PEGI and BBFC ratings. Also there are a lot of very vocal gamers who keep bringing up the same point about Manhunt 2: why doesn’t the BBFC treat horror games in the same way that they treat horror movies?

Keith Ramsdale: Well, I guess that is a question for the BBFC. But when I’ve spoken to them about that very point, they’ve said that it is absolutely the same process. And the reason that Manhunt 2 didn’t get through is that they (Rockstar) didn’t adhere to that process.
As for the two systems – PEGI and BBFC – yeah, it could well be that the findings of the Byron Review says that there is consumer confusion. It may suggest that either is fine, or that you can have only one or whatever. But I think that what we are probably going to have to do as an industry is to look at how we get the message out there – whatever we end up with as an age-rating system that it is real, that it is about content (not skill). That’s the main job to be done.


SPOnG: Yeah, it comes down to educating parents more than anything.

Keith Ramsdale: Yes, of course. And there are good and easy ways of doing that. The London Games Festival and the high profile mainstream press interest that we are helping to generate can only help that cause.


SPOnG: I have to say that seeing Will Wright get awarded the first ever BAFTA Fellowship to a creator in the games industry was just fantastic – that was an important milestone in the cultural recognition for gaming.

Keith Ramsdale: And don’t forget that for the second year now BAFTA has put the Video Games Awards on an equal footing with their TV and film awards. How cool is that?


SPOnG: Indeed. I suppose the question I was trying to ask you earlier, was more about the idea that the cultural perception of gaming amongst non-gamers… is that games are for kids - and should be treated as such.

Keith Ramsdale: Yeah, there’s this misconception certainly.


SPOnG: Yeah, the misconception that the average gamer is a child, like a 14-year old. Even when all the research clearly shows that the average gamer is much older.

Keith Ramsdale: Yeah, again people who aren’t into games in any way look at it as being a kid’s toy. So, then they are asking why are there these mature games for kids? I get why people are seeing that… Actually, no, I don’t get why people are seeing that, but I see why some people are perhaps getting that confused thought.
And of course, the average of a gamer is twenty-eight!

(Research from the US-based Entertainment Software Association (ESA) indicates the following: “Ninety-three percent of people who make the actual purchase of computer games and 83% of people who make the actual purchase of video games are 18 years of age or older. The average age of the game buyer is 40 years old.”)