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Tinkerby Games

Help centrePlay well

Play well online

A private self-check, chat and stranger safety, accounts, premium currencies, ranked play, PEGI ratings, family settings and free UK help.

1Why this page exists

Online games are social, competitive and always open, which is a big part of why they are fun. It also means they come with strangers, shops and a pull to keep coming back. This page is about keeping all of that on your side. It sets no time limits: how long you play is your call.

2Quick self-check

Thinking about the last few months, which of these are true for you?

This is a prompt for reflection, not a diagnosis. Your answers stay on this page and are never sent.

3Chat and strangers

  • Set text and voice chat to friends-only before the first match, and widen it later only if you want to.
  • Block and report anyone who is abusive, pushy, or asks you to move to a private app, send pictures or keep a secret.
  • Keep your real name, school, address, passwords and photos to yourself, and use a gamer name that is not your real one.
  • If an adult’s contact with a child feels wrong, report it to CEOP. Internet Matters has step-by-step setup guides for every console and app.

4Accounts and sign-in

Most online games need an account. Use a strong, unique password, switch on two-step sign-in, and never share log-in codes with anyone who messages you, however official they sound. Nobody genuine will ask for them.

5Premium currencies and paid items

  • Work out what coins, gems and points cost in pounds before spending them. Bundles are often sized so something is always left over.
  • Agree a monthly amount before you play, never in the middle of a match.
  • Avoid paid random items where you can; not knowing what you will get is exactly what makes them hard to stop buying.
  • UK industry principles say under-18s should not be able to buy paid random items without a parent or carer knowing. Platform spending limits are how that works at home.
  • Keep purchase approval on, remove saved cards from children’s accounts and check your statements.

6Streaks, passes and events

Daily rewards, login streaks, seasonal passes and limited-time events are built to bring you back on the game’s timetable instead of yours. Switch off game notifications, let a streak lapse without guilt and come back when you actually want to.

7Ranked play and toxic matches

Competitive games are thrilling and stressful in equal measure. After a few losses or an unpleasant lobby, step away for a while instead of queuing straight back in. Mute freely, report abuse, and remember that a rank measures a few games, not a person.

8Eyes, hands and sleep

  • Now and then, look at something far away for twenty seconds to rest your eyes.
  • Stand up and stretch your hands, wrists and shoulders between matches, and drink some water.
  • Leave the last hour before bed screen-free where you can; exciting games make it harder to fall asleep.
  • If your hands, neck or eyes ache, or you feel dizzy or sick, stop and talk to a GP if it keeps happening.

9Age ratings

Games sold in the UK carry PEGI age ratings: 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18, with separate notices for in-game purchases and (includes random items). Ratings do not cover what other players say in online chat. PEGI 12, 16 and 18 are legally enforced for games sold in UK shops, overseen by the Games Rating Authority; the PEGI label guide explains every symbol.

10Family settings

Every major platform has free controls for spending, age filters, chat and who can contact a child: Xbox Family Settings, PlayStation Family Management, Nintendo Switch Parental Controls, Steam Families, Apple Screen Time and Google Family Link. Set them up together with your child and explain why.

11Comfort and accessibility

Read each game’s photosensitivity warning: a small number of people can have seizures triggered by flashing lights or patterns. Turn on subtitles, reduced motion, colour-blind modes and assists whenever they help. Using them is still playing properly.

12When gaming becomes a problem

The World Health Organization describes “gaming disorder” when gaming takes priority over other interests and daily life despite the harm it causes, usually for a year or more. Signs to watch for:

  • losing sleep or skipping meals, school, work or friends;
  • irritability, low mood or anxiety when not playing;
  • spending more than intended, or hiding it;
  • dropping other hobbies and people.

The NHS National Centre for Gaming Disorders treats people aged 13 and over in England and Wales, and a GP can point you to the right support anywhere in the UK.

13Helping someone else

Start with curiosity rather than a verdict: ask what they enjoy about the game and who they play with. Agree changes together instead of an outright ban. If nothing improves, a GP or one of the services below can help.

14Free, confidential help

Paid random items such as loot boxes, card packs and prize wheels in shops work like a lucky dip: you pay before you know what you will get, which makes it easy to keep buying. If the time or money you put into games feels out of control, for you or for someone you care about, these organisations help for free and in confidence:

  • GamCare

    Free, confidential advice and counselling for anyone whose play or spending feels out of control, and for the people around them. Helpline 0808 8020 133 and live chat, open at any hour.

    Visit GamCare

  • BeGambleAware

    An independent UK charity with confidential advice, a short self-assessment and a directory of free support and treatment near you.

    Visit BeGambleAware

  • Gambling Therapy

    Free online support from trained advisers, with peer groups and self-help tools to use from home, in many languages.

    Visit Gambling Therapy

15Urgent help and young people

Free and confidential, for anything that is troubling you, not only games:

  • Childline

    For anyone under 19, about anything at all: call 0800 1111 free, or talk online at any hour.

    Visit Childline

  • Samaritans

    A listening ear at any hour, whatever is happening: call 116 123 free from any phone.

    Visit Samaritans

  • YoungMinds

    Mental health guidance for young people, and a helpline for parents and carers worried about a child.

    Visit YoungMinds

In an emergency, call 999. For urgent medical advice that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 or visit nhs.uk. You can also text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential support at any time.

16How this site is built

Tinkerby Games has no accounts, notifications, streaks, countdown offers or rewards for coming back. Questions about this guide are welcome through our contact page.