British Esports publishes esports age guide and list of benefits for parents and children

December 12th, London: The British Esports Association, the not-for-profit organisation set up to promote and support grassroots esports, has put together a guide to help children get started in esports.

The Esports Age Guide breaks down major esports titles by age rating. It’s designed to inform parents, children and teachers which competitively-played video games are suitable for various age groups, from 3+ up to 18+.

The guide combines official PEGI age ratings with British Esports’ own suggestions, as some PC download-only games do not have PEGI age ratings.

While the guide doesn’t contain every single competitive game, British Esports is planning to add to this and update it over time as more esports games emerge and grow.

As well as the age ratings guide, the British Esports Association has also published an infographic highlighting the benefits of esports, including cognitive benefits, promoting teamwork and boosting confidence.

The aim is to help educate and increase awareness of esports and to show that it’s a positive activity with intrinsic benefits, when played in moderation as part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

British Esports has also introduced a new weekly newsletter, which is free for people to sign up to and receive.

Matt Hancock, Minister for Digital, said:"The video games industry continues to grow as a major economic and cultural force critical to Britain’s prosperity in the twenty-first century.

“Bringing the thrill of esports into the mix only adds to this fantastic success story. I'm looking forward to seeing the growing UK esports scene flourish as part of this global phenomenon.”

British Esports Association chair Andy Payne OBE commented: “The British Esports Association is all about grassroots and strongly believes that starting from the bottom up is key.

“We want to send a positive message out to parents and the general public that esports has many benefits, and is a positive activity for children when done in moderation.”

The news follows a pilot scheme British Esports held at Maida Vale Library earlier this year – an after-school esports club for children that promoted teamwork and cognitive skills.

British Esports has also created a new resources hub on its website for these infographics - and other resources - to sit.