An initiative group has launched a voluntary labeling of game content on a trial basis. It includes the Association of Professionals in the Gaming Operations and Development Industry (APRIORI), Lesta Games, Astrum Entertainment, 1C Games, VK Play, and RuStore. The labeling will be tested on domestic platforms VK Play and RuStore.
The Russian Ministry of Economic Development has preliminarily approved seven descriptors (criteria) for the labeling system proposed by APRIORI. These warn about the presence of scenes of violence, fear, sex, and also the presence of foul language, drugs, alcohol and smoking, and in-game purchases.
Participants in the experiment will independently mark their products with the corresponding signs on physical copies of games and digital content. Moreover, anyone can participate: developers only need to download the necessary descriptor images and label information on websites and in games as they see fit.
According to representatives of APRIORI, this approach will allow developers to reduce the risk of legal claims and help users avoid unwanted content. Furthermore, this initiative became "the first step in the self-regulation of the unified gaming industry," reports Alexander Mikheev, head of VK Play.
The experiment will last for six months, after which amendments may be made to the project.
Currently, the labeling of video games is voluntary, but as reported by sources from “Kommersant,” it may become mandatory by 2026.
Alongside APRIORI's initiative, the Video Game Industry Development Organization (VGIDO) is preparing its "Green Labeling" project. It plans to use categories like "made in Russia," "esports discipline," and "educational content." The launch of this system is scheduled for the second quarter of 2025. APRIORI has called VGIDO's initiative excessive.