Games
Listed below are some of the more popular games among children and young people. The list provides a summary with the more detailed, 'What Parents Need to Know' guides available as PDFs at the bottom of the page.
Among Us (PEGI 7)
Among Us is one of the most popular games of 2020. A space-themed ‘social deduction game’ where 4-10 players take on the guise of Crewmates, who must complete various tasks around their spaceship, while randomly selected Imposters must try their hardest to sabotage the others’ efforts. The Imposters have to remain undetected through rounds of voting to win. While Among Us is a largely safe game, it’s still prudent to be aware of any potential risks young ones might encounter when playing.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as hacking, mild violence and inappropriate language.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Apex Legends (PEGI 16)
Apex Legends is a multiplayer battle royale video game which is free to play. In this game, twenty squads consisting of three players each are dropped onto an island from a dropship, where they compete against each other to be the last team standing. Each player on the squad gets to choose a ‘Legend’ to play with; one of eight unique characters with a specialised skillset in either ‘Offense’,’ Defense’, ‘Support’ or ‘Recon’. The players begin with no weapons or equipment and have to comb through an ever-shrinking play area for these, all the while killing enemies to emerge as the victorious trio. The game is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
In this guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as communication with strangers, violence and overspending.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Avakin Life (PEGI 18)
Described as a place where teens and adults can make new friends, Avakin Life is a mobile game that has more than 1.4 million daily users. The game lets players create a virtual avatar (an ‘Avakin’), style it in fashionable outfits, buy and decorate properties, and interact with others in communal spaces. It’s this social aspect which has caused safety concerns, with many parents and carers unsure if the game is suitable for teenagers at all.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as in-game chat, adult themes and in-game spending.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Call of Duty Series (PEGI 18)
The Call of Duty (CoD) series is a worldwide gaming phenomenon, with millions of copies sold every year. The games are online shooters which feature – unsurprisingly – extreme violence, rendered in realistic graphics. Amid the explosions and potential political nature of the plot, there’s much for parents to be aware of.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as offensive chat/messaging, in-game purchases and addiction.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Counter-strike Global Offensive (PEGI 18)
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter game developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment. It’s the fourth game in the successful Counter-Strike series and was first released for Windows, macOS, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 in 2012. It has enjoyed consistent popularity with online gamers since then and is now also available as a mobile game on Android and iOS devices.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as violent content, pornographic images and addiction.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Cunch-line Chronicles (PEGI 18)
Cunch-Line Chronicles is a 2D side-scrolling mobile game in which players control a criminal running from a police officer, collecting bags of (what are heavily implied to be) drugs while avoiding obstacles. The game has caused some controversy due to its perceived glamourisation of gang culture. There are also concerns that titles like this carry the potential to attract young people to low-level crime.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as addictive gameplay, in-app purchases and questionable themes.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Cyberpunk 2077 (PEGI 18)
Cyberpunk 2077 is a first-person action RPG (role-playing game) with multiple storylines. It’s set in a dystopian future where the line between humans and machines has blurred, with cybernetic implants commonplace. Eight years in the making by Polish developers CD Projekt RED, the game has already garnered quite a reputation – partly because of its adult themes and graphic content.
In the guide you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as extreme violence, adult themes and online multiplayer.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
ESports (Ratings vary with each game)
British Esports describes ‘esports’ as “competitive gaming, human-v-human, usually with a spectator element to it”. In recent years, the esports industry has grown significantly – and is expected to reach an overall worth of $1.2 billion, with around 30 million monthly viewers, by the end of 2022. This rapid evolution has presented even more opportunities … but, of course, opportunities usually come with a risk. Here, we’ve highlighted some of the potential hazards within the esports industry and suggested ways to help young people stay safe so they can make the most of this exciting space.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as in-game purchases, inappropriate content and possible exploitation.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Fifa 23 (PEGI 3)
FIFA 23, like its many predecessors, is a massively popular football simulator featuring lifelike recreations of thousands of real-world players, drawn from teams around the globe. While the gameplay is subtly improved year on year, the publisher EA’s focus remains firmly on FIFA Ultimate Team – a mode in the game that can tempt players of all ages to spend actual money on recruiting better players for their side. With each new release of FIFA comes a host of new players to unlock – meaning that youngsters can feel pressured to keep buying to compete with their friends.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as age-inappropriate chat, scammers and addiction.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Fortnite Series (PEGI 12)
There’s a very good chance you’ve heard of Fortnite, but what exactly is it? And why is it so popular amongst young people? Fortnite is an online multi-player “battle royale” game developed by Epic Games and is playable on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and mobiles. It gained popularity in late 2017 and has since become the biggest game in the world, thanks to its rapid and engaging gameplay.
In this guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as gaming addiction, gaming with strangers and overspending.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Grand Theft Auto / GTA (PEGI 18)
Grand Theft Auto is an action-adventure video game series where players control criminals and wreak havoc in order to complete missions and progress through the game. During the early stages of the game, it solely focused on completing missions to go up a level. However, as the game grew more popular the makers of GTA decided to introduce a narrative to each edition of the game. The aim of this was to increase user engagement, making gamers believe that they were not just playing as the character, but they became the character. Grand Theft Auto is accessible on a number of devices including: PlayStation and Xbox, desktop computers, PSP, Nintendo DS, and Mobile.
In the. guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as violent content, profane language and playing with strangers
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
League of Legends (PEGI 12 but Terms of Use state proper age is 13)
League of Legends, commonly referred to as "LOL", is one of the most popular video games in the world, with millions of monthly players. It is available on Android, macOS and Windows, and Apple recently announced during its iPhone 12 launch event that it will soon be coming to iOS too. LOL is an esports game in which two teams of five face-off in order to destroy the other's base. In the UK and Europe, PEGI rates League of Legends as PEGI 12. However, in order to play the game, the user has to accept the Terms of Use, which state that the proper age to play is 13+.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as how to monitor gameplay, how to disable in-game spending and how to spot the signs of gaming addiction.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Minecraft (PEGI 7)
Minecraft is a beloved classic of modern gaming. First released in 2011, this open-ended ‘sandbox’ game of building and exploration still has over 140 million players who happily return to play it at least once every month. Minecraft has also been utilised for much more than just entertainment: it’s sometimes used in schools to teach children coding, and it's also employed as a tool for computer-aided design, which is another valuable skill. Encouraging creativity and problem solving, Minecraft has plenty to offer gamers of all ages, and it's available on almost all video game platforms.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as in-game purchases, addiction and chatting with strangers.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Oculus Quest (PEGI 13)
The Oculus Quest is the latest virtual reality experience on the market. Taking advantage of ever-evolving technology in the industry, the Quest can offer unparalleled levels of realism that really need to be experienced to be believed. From colourful cartoon worlds to photorealistic monsters, it can be the perfect tool to experience everything this, and countless other, worlds have to offer. As with any other gaming hardware, it’s important to know how to use it safely and ensure children are aware of any potential risks. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help parents and carers understand exactly what the Oculus Quest is all about.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as seizures and motion sickness, physical injuries and overuse concerns.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Overwatch & Overwatch 2 (PEGI 12)
Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, the same company behind the likes of World of Warcraft and StarCraft. The online-only game, which is available to play on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC, sees players face off in six-versus-six matches that emphasize both teamwork and individual skill. Players have a wide choice of characteristics to play as, each of which comes under one of four main classes or roles – Offence, Defence, Tank and Support – which each class having its own unique strengths and weaknesses. In the UK and Europe, PEGI rates Overwatch as PEGI 12, suitable for ages 12 and up, for non-realistic-looking violence towards human characters.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as mature content, strangers and the addictive nature.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Pokemon Go (PEGI 7)
Pokémon GO has been among the world’s most popular mobile games since its spectacular release in 2016. It's recently enjoyed a resurgence, thanks partly to people combining entertainment and exercise during lockdown. In Pokémon GO – like the Pokémon TV show, trading card series and other video games – players capture, train and battle with their Pokémon creatures: physically exploring locations while using augmented reality via their phone’s screen. The game generally provides a positive experience, but there are still some safety concerns to consider.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as environmental hazards, strangers and data collection.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Rec Room
Rec Room is a social hangout game, where users meet up with friends to explore and create rooms, each containing a different experience. One room might be a game of laser tag or dodgeball, while another could be a parkour course or virtual boxing. Available on iOS devices, PlayStation, Xbox, Oculus and PC/Mac, Rec Room is kidSAFE COPPA Certified and carries an age rating of 9+. Nonetheless, parents and carers should remain mindful that gaming online with strangers always carries a potential risk.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as online bullying, questionable connections and sexual content.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Roblox (PEGI 7)
Roblox is one of the most popular video games on the market. By 2020, the game’s makers were claiming that more than half of children in the USA play it. As a ‘sandbox’ title, Roblox offers a huge amount of creative freedom: it lets players create their own gaming experiences with the Roblox Studio to build custom levels and games, which can then be shared with other players online. Roblox fosters creative thinking and enjoys a robust online community of fans.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as online daters, in-app purchases and contact with strangers.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Rocket League (PEGI 3)
Rocket League is a free-to-play multiplayer vehicle football game. It was developed by Psyonix, now part of the Epic Games family (which also includes Fortnite and Gears of War). Rocket League is essentially a football game where, instead of running, the players drive rocket-powered cars. The game was a surprise hit that took the world by storm when it was first released in 2015. Rocket League is available on various formats, including the Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, MacOS and Linux.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as scams, inappropriate online interactions and increased screentime.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Twitch (PEGI 13)
Twitch is a livestreaming service which tends to focus on gaming. Users can publicly broadcast their gameplay and commentary online for other users to watch. It's a community-driven platform where viewers can support their favourite streamers’ channels through PayPal donations, "Bits" and more. Each streamer or group creates their own community for fans to interact with each other. Twitch has more than 15 million daily active users and includes non-gaming topics such as music, cooking and art. Anyone can create a channel to livestream or watch videos.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as inappropriate content, private chat rooms and strangers.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety
Valorant (PEGI 16)
Valorant is one of the hottest first-person shooters on the market. Developed by Riot Games (makers of the hugely popular League of Legends) its gameplay is similar to titles like Overwatch and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Players choose a character and face off in teams of five against five opponents. Currently available only on PC through the Riot Games site, Valorant requires quick reflexes and dedication to progress. However, between dealing with other players, navigating the online store and avoiding possible addiction, there's plenty for parents and carers to consider before allowing children to play.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as addiction, violence and in-game purchases.
COPYRIGHT - National Online Safety