But, when it comes to digital-only releases, to help manage the thousands of apps submitted every day by small developers, the ratings process is automated via a questionnaire created and administered by the International Age Rating Coalition ( IARC), with the cost of issuing ratings borne by the storefront, rather than individual developers.ĭevelopers are required to fill this questionnaire out in good faith when they upload an app or game, but Google itself never checks the accuracy of a rating unless a game is submitted to its separate, safer, Designed for Families scheme – an area of the Play Store that is vetted by Google, but that can't be used by parents as a locked-down, child-friendly space to download apps and games.īacioiu Ciprian, the owner of Bearded Giant Games, recently released the entirely age-appropriate endless runner Retro Sail on the Play Store. Across Europe, games are issued ratings by Pegi ( Pan European Game Information).
