ESRB Game Rating Guide

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings provide concise and objective information about the content in video games and apps so consumers, especially parents, can make informed choices. ESRB ratings have three parts:

• Rating Categories suggest age appropriateness
• Content Descriptors indicate content that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern
• Interactive Elements inform about interactive aspects of a product, including users' ability to interact, the sharing of users' location with other users, or the fact that personal information may be shared with third parties

 

As a supplementary source of information, boxed video games have Rating Summaries that provide a more detailed description of the content that factored into the rating assigned.
 

   

 ESRB Rating Symbols 

	EARLY CHILDHOOD Titles rated EC (Early Childhood) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 3 and older. Titles in this category contain no material that parents would find inappropriate.
	EVERYONE Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.
	EVERYONE 10+ Titles rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 10 and older. Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language, and/or minimal suggestive themes.
	TEEN Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.
	MATURE 17+ Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons 17 years and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, and/or strong language.
	ADULTS ONLY 18+ Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

RATING PENDING Titles listed as RP (Rating Pending) have been submitted to the ESRB and are awaiting final rating. (This symbol appears only in advertising prior to a game's release.)

ESRB Content Descriptors

• Alcohol Reference — Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages
• Animated Blood — Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood
• Blood — Depictions of blood
• Blood and Gore — Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts
• Cartoon Violence — Violent actions involving cartoon-like situations and characters. May include violence where a character is unharmed after the action has been inflicted
• Comic Mischief — Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor
• Crude Humor — Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor
• Drug Reference — Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs
• Fantasy Violence — Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life
• Intense Violence — Graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons, and depictions of human injury and death
• Language — Mild to moderate use of profanity
• Lyrics — Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol, or drug use in music
• Mature Humor — Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references
• Nudity — Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity
• Partial Nudity — Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity
• Real Gambling — Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency
• Sexual Content — Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity
• Sexual Themes — MReferences to sex or sexuality
• Sexual Violence — Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts
• Simulated Gambling — Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency
• Strong Language — Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity
• Strong Lyrics — Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol, or drug use in music
• Strong Sexual Content — Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity
• Suggestive Themes — Mild provocative references or materials
• Tobacco Reference — Reference to and/or images of tobacco products
• Use of Drugs — The consumption or use of illegal drugs
• Use of Alcohol — The consumption of alcoholic beverages
• Use of Tobacco — The consumption of tobacco products
• Violence — Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment
• Violent References — References to violent acts

**When a content descriptor is preceded by the term "Mild", it conveys low frequency, intensity or severity of the content it modifies.**

Rating Summaries
Rating summaries are a supplementary source of information which explain in objective terms the context and relevant content that factored into a game's ESRB rating assignment. Although rating summaries don't appear on game packages, they are available via the rating search on ESRB's website, the rating search widget, ESRB's ParenTools e-newsletter, and ESRB's mobile website at m.esrb.org.

Online Rating Notice
Online-enabled games carry the notice Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB. This notice warns those who intend to play the game online about possible exposure to chat (text, audio, video) or other types of content created by other players (e.g., maps, skins) that have not been considered in the ESRB rating assignment. For the most up to date list of content descriptors and definitions, go to http://www.esrb.org

About Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) The ESRB is a non-profit, self-regulatory body that independently assigns ratings, enforces advertising guidelines, and helps ensure responsible online privacy practices for the interactive entertainment software industry.