Last week, the Moscow City Duma proposed introducing mandatory age labeling for internet-distributed games in Russia. This initiative was opposed by the Organization for the Development of the Video Game Industry (RDVI).
"Zemsky Sobor"
In a letter to the Chairman of the Moscow City Duma, Alexey Shaposhnikov, RDVI reminded that Russia already has its own rating system — the Russian Age Rating System or RARS. It is considered one of the strictest in the world. For example, if a game is rated 12+ in the EU, Brazil, or South Korea, it is rated 16+ in Russia. RDVI has also not heard of any cases where gaming companies ignored RARS requirements.
According to RDVI, officials need to "exercise caution" when developing such initiatives. The organization does not see a major problem with regulating the industry as such. However, it is convinced that before making hasty decisions, authorities should discuss the situation with representatives of the game development community. Otherwise, they risk completely losing trust and pushing gaming companies into operating in a "gray area."
"We find it important to note that certain socially significant problems are not always the result of some words being absent in legislation, and solutions can be found without constantly changing laws that affect society and business, causing tension and resentment towards legislative authority," RDVI wrote.
In a statement to the newspaper "RBC," the Moscow City Duma press service confirmed that the capital's parliament received the letter from RDVI. However, it declined to comment on any specific points.