Nintendo has removed a driving game from the Switch eShop due to an incorrect PEGI rating. The game in question, Need for Spirit: Drink & Drive Simulator, became available on October 15 with a PEGI 3+ rating. However, it may not be suitable for younger family members who should learn responsible driving habits.
Eurogamer discovered that Need for Spirit was originally launched on Steam in 2018. The game revolves around a struggling professional driver who delivers alcoholic beverages to various events while facing challenges posed by dangerous roads and their own addiction to alcohol. This information is based on the game's description on its store listing.
We found the best screenshot available.
Although it lacks an age rating on Steam, the Epic Game Store has given it a PEGI 16 rating due to its portrayal of alcohol and tobacco. Usually, family-friendly games receive a PEGI 3+ rating, while those that include references to or depictions of illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco are assigned a PEGI 16 or PEGI 18 rating. The game is currently under investigation by PEGI, and it will need to be resubmitted to the Nintendo eShop with a more appropriate rating.
According to a spokesperson from PEGI, if an investigation reveals that the PEGI rating of a game changes by more than one age category, Nintendo takes down the game and requires it to be resubmitted with an accurate rating to ensure proper functioning of their parental control tools.
Although the Switch offers some of the finest games developed by Nintendo's first-party studios and third-party developers, the store is also plagued by shovelware games. These games, often low-effort experiences, are released with significant discounts and developers do not hesitate to create clones of popular games in order to climb the ranks of the eShop charts.
The Last Hope: Dead Zone Survival, a shameless imitation of The Last of Us, serves as a prominent and recent instance. Although the game was briefly accessible on the eShop, it was eventually removed. Conceivably, if you purchased the game for a mere dollar and still possess it on your Switch, it might (although it is unlikely) hold a similar value to a PS4 with PT installed.
