Guide to Video Game Ratings

What do those big black letters on the front of your video game box mean?
That’s the rating assigned by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to inform you about the maturity level of the game's content. Like movie ratings, they are designed to help parents make informed purchasing decisions.

ESRB ratings have two parts: Rating symbols suggest age appropriateness, and content descriptors indicate specific elements that may be of interest or concern. Be sure to consider both.

ESRB Video Game Ratings

	Early Childhood Titles rated early childhood have content suitable for children 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.
	Everyone Titles rated everyone have content that suitable for persons age 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief, and/or mild language.
	Everyone 10+ Titles rated everyone 10 and older have content that may be suitable for older children age 10 and up. Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy, or mild violence, mild language, and/or minimal suggestive themes.
	Teen Titles rated teen have content suitable for persons ages 13 and older. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
	Mature 17+ Titles rated mature have content suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, more intense violence, and/or strong language.
	Adults only 18+ Titles rated adults only have content suitable only for adults. Titles in this category may include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Adults-only products are not intended for persons under the age of 18.
	Rating Pending Titles listed as rating pending have been submitted to the ESRB and are awaiting a final rating.

ESRB Content Descriptors

Alcohol reference	Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages.
Animated blood	Cartoonish or pixilated 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 characters. May include violence where a character is unharmed after the action has been inflicted.
Comic mischief	Scenes depicting slapstick or gross vulgar humor.
Crude humor	Moderately vulgar antics, including scatological ("bathroom") humor.
Drug reference	Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs.
Edutainment	Content provides specific skills-development or reinforcement learning within an entertainment setting; skill development is an integral part of product.
Fantasy violence	Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or nonhuman characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life.
Gambling	Betting-like behavior.
Informational	Overall content contains data, facts, resource information, reference materials, or instructional text.
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.
Mature humor	Vulgar and/or crude jokes and antics, including scatological ("bathroom") humor.
Mature sexual themes	Provocative material, possibly including partial nudity.
Mild language	Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol, or drug use.
Mild lyrics	Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol, or drug use in music.
Mild violence	Mild scenes depicting characters in unsafe and/or violent situations.
Nudity	Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity.
Partial nudity	Brief and mild depictions of nudity.
Sexual violence	Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts.
Some adult assistance may be needed	Early childhood descriptor only.
Strong language	Profanity and explicit references to sexuality, violence, alcohol, or drug use.
Strong lyrics	Profanity and explicit references to sex, violence, alcohol, or drug use in music.
Strong sexual content	Graphic depiction of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity.