ESRB Rating System, Understanding It So We Can Buy Age-appropriate Games

When it comes to video games, our choices have become nearly infinite. Even if the only device you own is a smartphone, the number of games we can play is immense. Add to this the fact that a recent study shows that more than 75% of all gamers are adults. Because of this, we must be careful with what our kids will play as some titles can be misleading, even if the cover art seems to indicate that it’s child-friendly. For this reason, when we buy age-appropriate games, we must ensure that they are precisely that.

Founded in 1994, the ESRB rating system was a way to self-regulate game makers by labelling their games and the demographic meant to play them. It is an impartial rating system with age-based categories and other comments about a game’s content that is helpful for parents.

In this article, we will explore the different rating systems with some of the most popular games made with the ratings in mind.

ESRB Rating System and Age-Appropriate Games

So the ESRB rates game from early childhood all the way up to adults only. There are six categories, and they are:

Early Childhood (EC) games have a rating with young kids in mind. The ages are 3+ and have content that is suitable for young children. The most popular games with the EC rating are Super Mario Bros., Disney Dreamlight Valley, Kirby’s Dream Land, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and our favourite, Yoshi’s Crafted World.

Everyone (E) are games suitable for people of all ages and have mild content. It is close to the EC rating with a few distinctions. The most popular E-rated games are Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Everyone 10+ (E10+) are games that may contain some elements unsuitable for kids. These games mostly have mild language or violence and can be inappropriate, especially for kids under 10. The most popular games rated E10+ are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Minecraft, Stray, and a STEALTH favourite, Super Mario Odyssey.

Teen (T) games will be played by teenagers of ages 13 and up. These games may include violence, sexual themes, and strong language. Fortnite, Hogwarts Legacy, Metroid Prime Remastered, and the massively popular Genshin Impact, are the most played Teen rated games.

We love to play Genshin Impact on our office PC rig. Our entire gaming set up lights up when we play and visitors love it. It’s much more of a glow-up compared to playing on a smartphone.

ESRB Ratings For Mature Games

The last two categories represent games that are primarily for adults. We will include them here so that you know when a game has one of these ratings, its meant for older audiences.

Mature (M) rated games are designed for people aged 17 and up. These games contain elements that are inappropriate for kids and teens. Things like strong language, graphic violence, and sexual content. The most popular M-rated games are Red Dead Redemption 2, Last of Us part 1 and 2, Grand Theft Auto V, Cyberpunk 2077, and Elden Ring.

Adults Only (AO) games are designed for adults only and include explicit sexual content, graphic violence, and other material that are inappropriate for teens and kids. Huge titles that are AO-rated games are Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Manhunt 2, Hatred, and Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy DC.

Adult-only games are rare as they contain the most explicit content, and it is doubtful you will accidentally purchase one.

Why is the ESRB Content Description Important?

The rating system is suitable for general guidance but doesn’t provide a more in-depth reason why a game is rated the way it is. However, these descriptors offer additional information about the video game your kid will play and should impact your buying decision.

For example, one Teen rated game may contain descriptors for violence but not for sexual content. Another game rated M may have a content descriptor warning about sexually explicit themes.

When we understand content descriptions, we can buy age-appropriate games with our kid’s needs in mind.

In conclusion

When you buy video games for your kids, there isn’t a more valuable tool than the ESRB rating system. When your kids ask you for a game or you decide to buy one, you should first check its rating. Then, if it is appropriate for your child, read the content descriptors so you know more about the game’s content to make a more informed decision.

If you are unsure about a game, you should read online reviews, like the one we did on MARIO GOLF: SUPER RUSH. Also, consider your own kid’s tastes and needs. Some kids are ready for more mature content while others are not, and this rating system is more of a guide than a rule.

DISCLAIMER: Some age-appropriate games, especially online games, change their ratings. The games we listed contained their rating at the time of writing this article but are subject to change. Consult the ESRB guide before making any purchase.

Posted on 10th Mar 2023 by igorthegreat

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