Game warns EU KIDS Act could override national age ratings

Game warned on Nov. 9, 2026 that the EU KIDS Act, a draft unveiled in September 2026, could override well-established national age-rating systems for video games.

The act primarily targets social networks and proposes a ban on social media for children under the age of 13, with restrictions for those under 15. The legislation also adds a code-of-conduct provision for age ratings that extends past the current framework and carries more binding weight. Game said the measure carries major implications for online games.

The European Commission officially proposed the EU KIDS Act on Sept. 17, 2026, after more than a year of discussion as of Sept. 14, 2026, and planned a Thursday presentation to the European Parliament. The 99-page document aims to shield minors from risky digital services and AI systems, support the digital single market, and maintain a coherent framework for online child protection. The Commission described it as a response to pressure from member states and parents over social media’s impact on children.

EU lawmakers will review and amend the proposal before it reaches votes in the European Parliament and the EU Council. As of Sept. 14, 2026, the text had not been published, its legal basis had not been confirmed, and no penalty regime was on the table.

The central idea is safe by design, aimed at features that encourage excessive use, including addictive design and systems that bring users back. The proposal lays out safety by design rules for online social networking and video-sharing services, online games, AI companions and general conversational chatbots, and app stores. It classifies a video game as an information society service, which the GDPR describes as a service normally provided for payment, at a distance, electronically, and at a recipient’s request.

Two age thresholds remain under discussion: 13, backed by the Commission’s expert panel, and 15, backed by France. In July, Spain had sought 16, France had sought 15 or lower, the German-led panel had backed 13, and the Parliament had wanted a common age of 16.

France has already barred social media for under-15s, while Spain is pushing for 16. Norway is writing an under-16 ban into law, with fines for platforms of up to 20 million kroner. Australia brought in a national under-16 ban in late 2025 and is still the only country to do so across the whole nation.

Austria, Denmark, and Slovenia are preparing their own rules with proposed limits of 14, 15, and 15 respectively. Estonia and Belgium have rejected outright bans, saying they should regulate platforms instead of placing the burden on children.

Game suggested that new Europe-wide codes of conduct could see the same game rated 12+ in one store and 16+ in another, weakening Germany’s USK system. Germany currently uses USK for video game ratings, while PEGI applies across most of Europe.

Germany overhauled USK in 2023 to weigh features such as loot boxes and online communication when setting age ratings. PEGI changed its rules so that any game with loot boxes receives an automatic 16+ rating.

Felix Falk, managing director of Game, said the European Commission faces enormous pressure to tighten youth protection rules for social media quickly, and that game youth protection risks becoming collateral damage. He said the act should make USK and PEGI the standard for games across Europe, calling them proven ratings that parents have trusted for decades. Game wants video games treated differently from social networks, with protection duties and age checks based on real risks and self-regulation standards.

The association also wants stronger parental controls in games and platforms, so parents can keep deciding what is right for their child. It warned that blanket access restrictions must not unfairly limit parental responsibility or the digital participation of children and young people. Game said the act should protect and build on the existing USK and PEGI structures instead of creating entirely new procedures.

Ross Scott of Stop Killing Games described the EU KIDS Act as a bomb capable of imploding the entire video games industry. He said the act will demand personal identification to play an online video game and will outlaw all private game servers. The group fears age verification rules could broadly apply to any game bought through a digital storefront.

Documents obtained by Euractiv reportedly say the act will require social media and video-sharing providers to check a user’s age when a new account is opened. The act is expected to set age limits for reaching online platforms such as social media sites, AI tools, and certain gaming platforms. Age verification is expected to reach AI chat bots and online games that pose risks to minors, though not industrial AI, AI office products, or educational online services.

PlayStation began age verification checks in April across Ireland and the UK for voice chat, messaging, and streaming. Players can verify their age through a facial scan, a mobile number, or an ID, depending on the country or region. Australia has required proof of age on Steam for R18+ games, accepting only Australian credit cards.

The United States has no federal law requiring online platforms to carry out age-verification checks, although some states have enacted their own rules. Discord halted its global age verification plans after hackers broke into its systems and took 70,000 images of users’ government IDs. Researchers cracked the Commission’s proposed age verification app, which uses zero-knowledge proofs to confirm identity without revealing personal data, in less than two minutes.