Games and entertainment body Ukie said the new system provides "much needed clarity for consumers".

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No consideration will be sought from UKIE, the Games Art Festival or its representation in this process.

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UKIE, the trade body for the UK games industry, described 2011 as "a challenging year for the boxed product video games market" with sales down 7% on the previous year.

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"We are also in the planning stages of a major awareness campaign to help the public understand the system and other aspects of responsible gaming as soon as Pegi become law in the UK, " Ukie chief executive Jo Twist said.

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For High Street retailers like Game, it was probably even more challenging - the UKIE figures include online sales from the likes of Amazon and Play.com, and anecdotal evidence suggests that this is where gamers are directing more of the cash they spend on console games.

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