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View all search resultsCommunications ministry’s video game ratings draw backlash for erratic age labels
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Illustration of digital game distribution service Steam. (Shutterstock/Nwz)
T
he Communications and Digital Ministry’s newly implemented content rating system for video games has come in for criticism for its arbitrary age classification, prompting concerns among players and developers about the availability of games in Indonesia.
Over the weekend, users of the digital game distribution service Steam noticed that different age ratings had been set for various games on the platform, attributed to the Indonesia Game Rating System (IGRS).
The new rating came on the heels of IGRS launch by the communications ministry in late 2025 and its enforcement earlier this year, with the aim of setting age-appropriate ratings for all games released in Indonesia.
Steam, the world’s largest digital distribution platform hosting hundreds of thousands of game titles, previously applied the European PEGI rating system in Indonesia, but as in many other regions outside Europe with no local legal framework.
The IGRS enforcement means that Indonesia joins countries like Brazil and Germany that require age ratings for games to be sold to customers in those countries.
However, users pointed out an erratic pattern in IGRS classifications, with seemingly harmless games rated 18+ while others containing adult or sexual themes were labeled suitable for children as young as three.
A viral screenshot posted on X showed the school-themed local game A Space for the Unbound being rated 18+ for depictions of cigarettes, alcohol or drugs. Another screenshot showed the Malaysian family game Upin & Ipin Universe with the same label due to its “horror” content.
