Vietnam: Video game age rating

Specifically, according to Clause 17 Article 1 of Decree No. 27/2018/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government supplementing Article 31a to Decree No. 72/2013/NĐ-CP, video games are rated according to age groups as follows:

- Video games suited for adults (aged 18 and up, marked as 18+) are games that have armed combat; but have no pornography acts, sound or image;

- Video games suited for teenagers (aged 12 and up, marked as 12+) are armed combat games without close and graphic weapon image; with restricted/mitigated weapon impact sound; and without acts, image, sound of exposed-skin characters, or close-up attention to sensitive parts of human body;

- Video games suited for everyone (marked as 00+) are animated cartoon games without armed combat; ghostly, horrible and violent image, sound; acts, image and sound of exposed-skin characters; and close-up attention to the sensitive parts of the human body.

Responsibilities of a video game service vendor in video game age rating are as follows:

- Self-rating video games by ages of players as prescribed above;

- Representing the video game age rating in the application for authorizing script of video game G1 or in the notification of providing video games G2, G3 and G4. The video game age rating is one of criteria for assessing video games G1;

- Displaying the video game age rating in the top-left corner of advertising window and device screen while the players use video games.

If there are grounds that the video game age rating associated with video games G2, G3, G4 is not conformable with the above regulations, Department of Radio and Television and electronic information affiliated to the Ministry of Information and Communications shall request the game provider to modify the rating in writing within 10 working days.

If the game provider fails to modify the rating as required, the Department of Radio and Television and electronic information affiliated to the Ministry of Information and Communications shall request the game provider in writing to stop releasing such game and take actions to protect players’ interests.

If the game provider still fails to stop releasing such game after 10 working days from the date on which the request is made, the Department of Radio and Television and electronic information affiliated to the Ministry of Information and Communications shall revoke its document certifying the registration of video games.

View more amendments at: Decree No. 27/2018/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government takes effect from April 15, 2018.

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