Video games for ages 10–12: squads, voice chat and the PEGI 12 line

Squads, group chats and the pull of the popular game

At this age, the game a child wants is usually the one their friends are playing tonight. Being left out of a group game can feel like being left out of the playground. It helps to take that seriously, even when the answer is "not yet".

A useful question to ask is not just "is this game OK?" but "what does playing it with friends involve?" Is it voice chat, joining strangers, a shop that changes daily, or late-night sessions? The answers often point to a setting rather than a straight yes or no.

If you're facing a request for a specific title, our guides to Fortnite, Roblox and Among Us set out the ratings, chat and spending in one place.

Approaching twelve: what the PEGI 12 games bring

Many of the biggest games carry a PEGI 12. On pegi.info, that rating allows violence of a slightly more graphic nature towards fantasy characters, or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters, along with sexual innuendo and mild bad language. Fortnite Battle Royale, for example, is PEGI 12 for moderate violence. PEGI notes that no blood or injuries are shown, damage appears as numbers and defeated characters disappear.

You don't have to raise your console's age filter across the board to allow one game. Each platform lets you make an exception:

• Xbox: anything above the age filter needs an organiser's approval, so you can approve a single title.
• PlayStation: Allowed Games shows requests and the exceptions you've made.
• Nintendo: the Safelist lets chosen games ignore restrictions.

Good starting games for ages 10–12

Each rating below was checked against the PEGI database or the UK app stores. A good starting point is not the whole story: the Parent Check on each full guide shows what to switch on or off.

LEGO Fortnite Odyssey

PEGI 7Inside Fortnite: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobile

A survival-crafting mode where players explore, gather resources, build and craft, alone or with friends. PEGI notes that LEGO characters break into bricks when defeated, with no blood. It's a way into Fortnite with friends that doesn't start with Battle Royale.

Keep an eye on: It sits inside the Fortnite app, which also offers PEGI 12 modes and user-made islands, so set Fortnite Content Ratings and chat permissions in Epic's parental controls. Read our full guide

Among Us

PEGI 7Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, iOS, Android

A social deduction game where crewmates complete tasks and try to find the impostors among them. It's great for talking, reasoning and bluffing, and works brilliantly with real-life friends.

Keep an eye on: Free Chat is text chat with other players, so for under-13s it needs a parent's approval. Without it, they use Quick Chat with pre-set phrases. Read our full guide

Rocket League

PEGI 3PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Football played with rocket-powered cars. It's free-to-play, fast and very skill-based, which makes it a good option for football fans now that EA Sports FC 27 is PEGI 16.

Keep an eye on: There's an Item Shop and a premium Rocket Pass bought with Credits, and chat is governed by Epic account settings. Read our full guide

Headsets and strangers: the chat settings that matter most

Voice chat is the area where settings make the biggest difference. Each layer, the console and the game, has its own controls, and you usually need to set both.

• Epic (Fortnite, Rocket League, Fall Guys): Voice and Text Chat Permission can be set to Everybody; Friends, team members, & connections; Friends Only; or Nobody. Under-13s are capped at Friends, team members, & connections, and Cabined Accounts keep voice and free text off until a parent consents.
• Roblox: since January 2026, users must complete an age check to use chat and can mostly only chat with similar age groups. Under-13s need a parent's consent for direct chat.
• Among Us: players without parental approval are limited to Quick Chat, a set of pre-written phrases. Free Chat for under-13s needs a parent's approval.
• PlayStation: setting Communication and User-Generated Content to Restrict blocks voice chat and messages across the console.

Turning voice off in a game doesn't stop console party chat, so check both. More in online chat and strangers.

Football games, card packs and the PEGI 16 surprise

A lot of families got a shock in 2026. EA Sports FC 27, released in September 2026, is rated PEGI 16. Earlier editions in the series were PEGI 3. PEGI's consumer advice says the 16 is because players can buy paid random card packs. The football itself hasn't changed. The rating reflects how the game is sold.

The same rule now affects other games. Brawl Stars shows PEGI 16 on Google Play in the UK with "In-game purchases (includes random items)", while Apple's App Store lists it as 13+. Ratings for live-service games may keep shifting as PEGI's re-rating continues.

How you respond is a family decision. Some parents wait, some allow the game with spending locked to zero, and some look for alternatives such as a PEGI 3 football manager game or Rocket League. Our EA Sports FC guide and Brawl Stars guide explain the packs, the currencies and the controls.

Handing over the timer without handing over everything

Ten to twelve is a good age to move from you managing time to your child managing time within limits you set. Agree a weekly plan, set it on the console and let your child decide how to use it.

1. Set a daily limit or time window on the console: Screen time on Xbox, Playtime Settings on PlayStation or Play Time Limit in the Nintendo app.
2. Turn on extra-time requests so your child has to ask, rather than argue. Xbox, Steam and Epic all support this.
3. Look at the weekly report together. Epic's Time Reports and the Nintendo app's play activity show what was played and for how long.

Reviewing the week together keeps it a shared plan rather than a surveillance tool. See screen time and routines for more ideas.

Being left out, keeping up and other honest conversations

• "What would you do if someone in a game was being unkind?" Make sure they know how to mute, block and report, and practise it once.
• "Is that skin worth two weeks' pocket money?" Talk about limited-time shop items, which are designed to create urgency.
• "If someone you've only met online asks for photos, personal details or to move to another app, that's a red flag."
• "I'm not going to ban the game if you tell me something went wrong." Children often keep quiet because they fear losing access.

Official support is available from the NSPCC, Childline and CEOP, and Internet Matters publishes guides for parents. It's worth your child knowing these exist before they ever need them.