Thompson: It's our duty to market new PEGI system effectively

Microsoft's Neil Thompson has said that it's the duty of the games industry in the UK to adopt, market and advertise the new PEGI system to consumers.

The government announced this afternoon that PEGI will become the sole ratings system for the UK, appointing the Video Standards Council to oversee and manage the process.

"This is part of running a business in the right way. As publishers we have a duty to ensure that we're marketing our products in an appropriate way to an appropriate audience and this is part of that obligation," said Thompson, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz.

"We're absolutely happy at living our obligations to parents and to our customers and ensuring that they understand that content that we're offering," he added.

Thompson said as publishers embrace the new ratings system, it will become easier for retailers to help spread the message through stores and help educate the consumer.

"The industry is committed to ensuring ratings signage and ratings information is used appropriately in retail and advertising. I think that will be embedded in the way publishers go about promoting the product that they've got to sell.

He added: "I also think that now that we have one system that is going to be enforced through a statutory body it gives retailers a clear mandate and a clear set of guidelines to work to that will hopefully make it easier for them to drive adoption of this standard through their stores."