EA Sports FC 27 now carries a PEGI 16 rating in Europe, a major shift for a series long rated PEGI 3. The change stems from Ultimate Team modes, where player packs and FC Points count as paid random items under PEGI's updated rules announced in March and applied since June. These rules set PEGI 16 as the default for games with loot boxes, with PEGI 18 possible in some cases.
FC 27 isn't alone. PEGI is rerating existing digital-only games rated 3, 7, or 12 that sell paid random items, with changes rolling out through October. Pokémon Go, Pokémon TCG Pocket, Mario Kart Tour, and Zenless Zone Zero have reportedly been bumped up already. The new criteria also cover time-limited offers (PEGI 12), daily quests (PEGI 7), and NFTs or unrestricted chat (PEGI 18).
PEGI followed Germany's USK, which made similar changes in 2023. North American players won't see this, as the ESRB rates FC 27 E for Everyone. The higher rating doesn't remove packs but gives parents clearer warnings, with retail enforcement varying by country.
Source: TechPowerUp News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing