Singapore introduces new rating system

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 15th April 2008

The new rating system will take effect in Singapore on April 28th, 2008.

The island nation of Singapore has now officially revealed a new mandatory rating and age classification system for games being sold in the country today after a reported two years of development.

The system will go into effect on April 28, 2008 across the entire nation.

Singapore's new rating system has only two classifications at the moment, though it is expected that the categories will be expanded as time goes on. Currently games can be classified as either M18 or Age Advisory. M18 games are those which are suitable for adult audiences only and which require the customer to show some ID to a retailer. Age Advisory rated games are those which are suitable for younger audiences and which do not require ID checks.

The system at first seems remarkably sensible compared to other western equivalents which break the ratings down further, but one wonders how it will be enforced and if such a distinct black and white line can even be drawn across the computer games medium.

Still, with over two years of research and consultation into the topic, it looks like the Singapore government is at least on the right lines when it comes to rating computer games as a medium.

Are rating systems for games a universally flawed concept? Is it possible to clearly say that what is suitable for a 18 year old is unsuitable for a 17 year old? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.