Government Announces IGRS, Rating Game System in Indonesia

Debate and criticism heated up again a few months ago after the Ministry of Education and Culture issued a list of dangerous games for children. The problem, games there are old titles and the majority are not intended for young people. After waiting for a long time, the Indonesian government finally responded by revealing the system rating game.

Through Ministerial Regulation No. 11 of 2016 which regulates the classification game, the government introduced the Indonesia Game Rating System or IGRS for short. It functions much like the Entertainment Software Rating Board or Pan European Game Information, providing guidance on buying and enjoying age-appropriate video games user. Reportedly, the IGRS implementation plan has been signed by the Minister of Communication and Information, Rudiantara.

Almost like PEGI, IGRS divides games into five age categories: all ages, 3 years, 7 years, 13 years, and 18 years and over. Via KompasTekno, the details are as follows:

3 tahun

• Does not display images or writings related to cigarettes, liquor, narcotics, and other addictive substances.
• Contains no abusive language, swear words or adult humor.
• Does not display violence (including blood, mutilation and cannibalism).
• No human figures (and figures resembling humans) should display vital organs.
• Do not show scenes with the aim of causing sexual desire and deviation.
• Does not contain excessive horror elements and gambling simulations.
• Do not have multiplayer or data exchange features.
• Must display 'parental assistance conditions'.

7 years and over

This category has almost the same content as a three-year age range - including fashion bans multiplayer as well as data exchange features. The difference is, these games can be played alone by children without parental guidance.

13 years and over

• Show scenes, pictures or writings related to cigarettes, liquor, narcotics and other addictive substances in small amounts.
• Content shows violence against animated characters (may resemble humans), but must not be excessive, accompanied by 'hate, anger or use of weapons that resemble the original'.
• Horror and blood elements are allowed, but content is still prohibited featuring mutilation and cannibalism.
• Must not contain adult humor, 'sexual connotations', sexual deviations, do not feature characters showing vital organs; including elements of sound that could be associated with sexual activity or violence.
• The content does not present gambling activities with real money or points that can be exchanged for money.
• Products are allowed to provide interaction facilities in the form of conversations and data exchange features, provided that they apply filters for abusive language, swearing and sexual terms.

18 years and over

• Showing pictures, scenes, and writings related to cigarettes, liquor, narcotics and other addictive substances in the main character.
• Allowed to display elements of violence on animated characters, including blood, mutilation and cannibalism.
• There are elements of adult humor and horror.
• Still must not contain human (or human-like) characters that show vital organs, as well as sounds that can be associated with sexual activity or violence.
• It is not permitted to have gambling elements with real money, including points that can be exchanged.
• Presenting fashion multiplayer, online conversations, as well as financial transaction features.

Below are the games that are not included in the IGRS classification:

• Displaying or 'listening' pornography.
• Presenting gambling activities.
• Contrary to statutory provisions.
• The game is also asked not to save personal data user.

Although the classification is quite complete, the existence of IGRS does leave many questions: how and when will the government implement it? Then, how about publisher global already using the system rating PEGI or ESRB? Will the IGRS be effective if it is only applied as an 'advice'?

The government does ask the publisher to immediately register their game on the site IGRS.id, but as of the time this article was written, website still not operating.

EDIT: there's a bit Update in article content.

You can download the full details via this link.