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The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is an organization that assigns age and content ratings to video games in the Americas.

Ratings[]

Icon Description Example
ESRB EC
Early Childhood
Content is intended for young children. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate. Rayman Brain Games
ESRB E
Everyone
Content is generally suitable for all ages. May contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language. LittleBigPlanet 2
ESRB E10+
Everyone 10+
Content is generally suitable for ages 10 and up. May contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes. Ape Escape 3
ESRB T
Teen
Content is generally suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language. MediEvil: Resurrection
ESRB M
Mature 17+
Content is generally suitable for anyone aged 17 and up. May contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, nudity and/or strong language. The Order: 1886
ESRB AO
Adults Only 18+
Content is suitable only for anyone aged 18 and up. May include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content including nudity, and/or gambling with real currency. Thrill Kill

Other labels[]

Icon Description
ESRB RP
Rating Pending
Not yet assigned a final ESRB rating. Appears only in advertising, marketing and promotional materials related to a game that is expected to carry an ESRB rating.
ESRB Shares Info
Shares Info
Indicates that personal information provided by the user (e.g. e-mail address, phone number, credit card info etc.) is shared with third parties.
ESRB Shares Location
Shares Location
Indicates the ability to display the user's location to other users of the app.
ESRB Users Interact
Users Interact
Indicates possible exposure to unfiltered/uncensored user-generated content, including user-to-user communications and media sharing via social media and networks.
ESRB Privacy Certified
Privacy Certified
Indicates compliance with online and mobile privacy protection laws, for websites, mobile apps and internet-connected products.

Content descriptors[]

Content descriptors featured on in-depth ESRB ratings
Alcohol Reference Animated Blood Blood Blood and Gore Cartoon Violence
Comic Mischief Crude Humor Drug Reference Fantasy Violence Intense Violence
Language Lyrics Mature Humor Nudity Partial Nudity
Real Gambling Sexual Content Sexual Themes Sexual Violence Simulated Gambling
Strong Language Strong Lyrics Strong Sexual Content Suggestive Themes Tobacco Reference
Use of Alcohol Use of Drugs Use of Tobacco Violence Violent References

Ratings history[]

EC KA T M AO
1994–1998 ESRB EC (Pre-1999) ESRB KA ESRB T (Pre-1999) ESRB M (Pre-1999) ESRB AO (Pre-1999)
EC E T M AO
1998–1999 ESRB EC (Pre-1999) ESRB E (Pre-1999) ESRB T (Pre-1999) ESRB M (Pre-1999) ESRB AO (Pre-1999)
1999–2005 ESRB EC (Pre-2013) ESRB E (Pre-2013) ESRB T (Pre-2013) ESRB M (Pre-2013) ESRB AO (Pre-2013)
EC E E10+ T M AO
2005–2013 ESRB EC (Pre-2013) ESRB E (Pre-2013) ESRB E10+ (Pre-2013) ESRB T (Pre-2013) ESRB M (Pre-2013) ESRB AO (Pre-2013)
2013–2018 ESRB EC ESRB E ESRB E10+ ESRB T ESRB M ESRB AO
2018–present ESRB E ESRB E10+ ESRB T ESRB M ESRB AO

Usage[]

Key: De facto use
No official support or legislative basis
Officially supported
Voluntary compliance and/or legally enforceable
Countries where ESRB ratings are used
Argentina Bolivia Canada[n 1] Chile Colombia
Costa Rica Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Honduras
Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru
United States Uruguay

Notes[]

  1. Legally enforceable in certain provinces, including Ontario and Manitoba, otherwise compliance is voluntary.

External links[]

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