Pokémon GO has been reclassified from PEGI 7 to PEGI 16 in Europe, following changes to the European age rating system that introduce stricter rules for games featuring paid random rewards (lootboxes). The change is part of a broader update to the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) framework, which now considers monetization mechanics alongside traditional content such as violence and language.
Why the change?
Under the updated rules, games featuring paid random items, such as loot boxes, generally receive a minimum PEGI 16 rating by default.
For Pokémon GO, this likely relates to its Egg hatching system, which was also banned in Brazil for similar reasons. Players can purchase Incubators using PokéCoins to hatch Eggs containing randomized Pokémon encounters, which falls in the random reward category. Truth be told, PEGI has not specifically confirmed which Pokémon GO mechanics triggered the new classification, but we don’t see what else could it be.
All existing games are being reclassified under new PEGI rules
The new rating criteria have applied to newly submitted games since June 2026. However, the latest development is that PEGI has begun retroactively updating the ratings of games already available on digital storefronts.
Connor Hinde, Policy Manager at the Games Rating Authority, which administers PEGI in the United Kingdom, confirmed the rollout in a recent LinkedIn update. According to Hinde, existing digital-only games previously rated PEGI 3, PEGI 7, or PEGI 12 that feature paid random items will be reclassified as “PEGI 16 – Paid random items.”
The changes affect titles rated through both the traditional PEGI Classic process and the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) system, which is widely used for digital games. Hinde also confirmed that the reclassification process began in October and will continue progressively throughout the month.
What does this mean for Trainers?
Honestly, nothing. Nothing about Pokémon GO’s gameplay has changed in Europe, and the new rating does not automatically prevent younger players from playing, although storefront restrictions and parental controls may apply. This reclassification just reflects how European regulators are increasingly treating randomized paid rewards as an age-related risk, even in otherwise family-friendly games.
Here’s a fun video for you to ends this article on:
