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PEGI’s new age ratings will restrict FC 27 to kids over 16

The Verge / 3/13/2026

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Key Points

  • PEGI will expand its age-rating criteria to include interactive features such as loot boxes, linking age suitability to in-game mechanics.
  • Games in EA’s FC series, which are usually PEGI 3, could be rated PEGI 16 in future releases due to virtual card packs in Ultimate Team.
  • The updated criteria apply to new games submitted for classification from June onward, signaling a near-term impact for publishers.
  • The changes may influence monetization strategies, feature design, and overall release planning for affected titles.
A promotional image for FC 26 shared by EA.
Loot boxes like the virtual card packs featured in EA’s FC franchise will soon be taken into consideration for PEGI age ratings. | Image: EA

The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) body previously assigned its age ratings based on the presence of sex, drugs, violence, bad language, and fear. Now it's adding four new options that tie age suitability to interactive features, like rating games that contain loot boxes as unsuitable for children under 16.

Games like EA's FC series - which typically carry a PEGI 3 age rating - will be among the most impacted, with the virtual card packs included in the franchise's Ultimate Team mode expected to bump future FC releases to a PEGI 16.

The changes will only apply to new games that are submitted for classification from June, or when new …

Read the full story at The Verge.