The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings are designed to provide information about video and computer game content, so you can make informed purchase decisions.
ESRB ratings have two parts: rating symbols suggest age appropriateness for the game, and content descriptors indicate elements in a game that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern.
To take full advantage of the ESRB rating system, it's important to check both the rating symbol (on the front of the game box) and the content descriptors (on the back of the game box).
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
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
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
Title listed as RP (Rating Pending) has been submitted to the ESRB and is awaiting final rating. (This symbol appears only in advertising prior to a game’s release.)
Online Rating Notice
Article comments
1 - AdventCrisis
How can the ESRB correctly rate a game when they do not get a full version of the script and scenes from the games? They are only sent brief scripting and scenes from games.
2 - Matt Paprocki
It's simply not possible to play all the games. The medium doesn't allow for it.
And even if they did play the games, how would they determine when its complete? How are you "done" with Madden or any sports game?
The method they use works, and has only failed after hackers dug into content they weren't meant to.
3 - Ken Edwards
I think you (and I) would be surprised at how much content gets looked at for any given title. Somehow I do not think it is "brief" in any way.
4 - AdventCrisis
look into it... any game sent to esrb for ratings they only recieve bits of it.. never the complete thing.. hence manhunt being so poorly released with a questionable rating. look into it. i have.
5 - a
how do they ever playwholegames?
6 - AdventCrisis
I do not expect them to necessarily play the full game. but the raters for movies dont get a trailer to work off of so why should the esrb get almost the same? more so, the games story board can be layed out so the game can be shown in movie form for them to work with. we have the technology to do better than what is being done. the esrb does a great job dont get me wrong, but with all systems there are flaws... the esrb's flaws can be dealt with a little more than others and i think it would be great to see it done.
7 - King bing
How would they rate endless games like minecraft? Also the ratings are way to old. Skyrim should be PG 13 not R16 - if avatar can get pg13 how does skyrim get R13 . HOW DOES LEGO BATMAN GET TEEN?????