Christmas Video Games 2016

Posted by Mr Shelley on 10th October 2016 | Categories: Online Safety | Tags: christmas, esafety, games, online safety, pegi, video games, virtual reality, vr | Comments: 1 comment

Every year at Old Park we put together a list of this season’s hottest video games in order to help you make informed decisions as a parent for your Christmas purchasing. This year is no different, however there is some new hardware being released which has age recommendations on it.

Virtual Reality

This October Sony are releasing the Playstation VR, a virtual reality headset for the Sony Playstation 4. It is the most accessible virtual reality headset on the market, due to its cheaper cost to buy compared to competitiors and its use with equipment that a lot of children will already have in the home.

The manufacturers of all the major VR headsets (Oculus, HTC, Sony) recommend that virtual reality headsets are not used with children of primary school age (13 for Oculus & HTC, 12 for Sony).

This is because there is no scientific consensus on how virtual reality headsets can affect children’s development, especially when using the device for longer play sessions.

The headsets are very heavy for younger users. They also use clever techniques to create depth in front of you on a flat screen which is very, very close to your face. This could affect the development of a child’s eyes, co-ordination and balance. As such, it is highly recommended not to buy a VR headset for your primary age child. If you are buying a headset for a teenager, it is recommended that you rest regularly (15 minutes rest for every 30 minutes of gameplay) and immediately stop using a VR headset if you experience dizziness, motion sickness, eye strain and/or nausea. It is also recommended that you monitor your teenage child after play to see if any negative effects occur, such as balancing issues and multi-tasking abilities.

Video Games

Below are two lists representing the biggest video games that are being released for the Christmas season 2016. One list shows games that are rated by PEGI as suitable for Primary age children, the other lists unsuitable games.

Please be aware, that the PEGI rating on the game describes the content in the game, and not the skill level required to play it. Nor does it describe the age a child may be interested in playing the game. For example, whilst the games Forza Horizon 3 and FIFA 17 are rated aged 3 and above, the skills required to play it may require hand-eye co-ordination skills of a much older child. The content may also be of no interest to them.

For more information visit http://www.pegi.info where you will be able to search their database for the latest games, their ratings and a more in-depth description of each game’s content.

PEGI also have an app available for iPad and iPhone.

Suitable for Primary Age Children			Unsuitable for Primary Age Children
Farming Simulator 17	3		Batman: Arkham VR	18
FIFA 17	3		Destiny	16
Football Manager 2017	3		Civilization VI	12
Forza Horizon 3	3		Bioshock : The Collection	18
PES 2017	3		The Elder Scrolls Online	18
Ride 2	3		Battlefield 1	18
Dragon Quest Builders	7		Gears of War 4	18
Pokemon Moon	7		WWE 2K17	16
Pokemon Sun	7		Rise of the Tomb Raider	18
Rhythm Paradise Megamix	7		Playstation VR	12
Skylanders Imaginators	7		Mafia III	18
No Man’s Sky	7		The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim	18
Pokken Tournament	7		Titanfall 2	16
			World of Final Fantasy	12
			Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare	18
			Dishonoured 2	18
			Watchdogs 2	18
			Final Fantasy XV	16
			Dead Rising 4	18
			The Last Guardian	12
			Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter	12
			Steep	12
			Now That’s What I Call Sing 2	12
			Recore	12
			Uncharted 4 : A Thief’s End	16
			Overwatch	12
			XCOM 2	16
			DOOM	18
			Mirror’s Edge Catalyst	16
			Deus Ex : Mankind Divided	18
			Tom Clancy’s The Division	18