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Rating Categories

Rating Categories suggest age appropriateness.
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Everyone ESRB rating icon
Everyone

Content is generally suitable for all ages. May contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.

Everyone 10 plus ESRB rating icon
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.

Teen ESRB rating icon
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.

Mature ESRB rating icon
Mature 17+

Content is generally suitable for ages 17 and up. May contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.

Adult only 18+ ESRB rating icon
Adults Only 18+

Content suitable only for adults ages 18 and up. May include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content and/or gambling with real currency.

Rating Pending ESRB rating icon
Rating Pending

Not yet assigned a final ESRB rating. Appears only in advertising, marketing and promotional materials related to a physical (e.g., boxed) video game that is expected to carry an ESRB rating, and should be replaced by a game's rating once it has been assigned.

Rating Pending Likely Mature 17+ , Not yet assigned a final ESRB rating
Rating Pending — Likely Mature 17+

Not yet assigned a final ESRB rating but anticipated to be rated Mature 17+. Appears only in advertising, marketing, and promotional materials related to a physical (e.g., boxed) video game that is expected to carry an ESRB rating, and should be replaced by a game’s rating once it has been assigned.

Content Descriptors

Content Descriptors indicate content that may have triggered a particular rating and/or may be of interest or concern.
Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages
Depictions of blood
Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor
Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs
Prominently featured images or activities that are typically associated with real-world gambling even if they are not directly simulating a gambling experience
Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood
Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts
Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor
Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life
Graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons and depictions of human injury and death.
Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages
Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood
Depictions of blood
Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts
Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor
Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages
Reference to and/or images of tobacco products
The consumption or use of illegal drugs
Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs
The consumption of alcoholic beverages
The consumption of tobacco products
Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages
Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs
Reference to and/or images of tobacco products
The consumption of alcoholic beverages
The consumption or use of illegal drugs
Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood
Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts
Depictions of blood
Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood
Depictions of blood
Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts
Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor
Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references
Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor
Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor
Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor
Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references
Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life
Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment.
Graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons and depictions of human injury and death.
References to violent acts
Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life
Graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons and depictions of human injury and death.
Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment.
References to violent acts
Prominently featured images or activities that are typically associated with real-world gambling even if they are not directly simulating a gambling experience
Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency.Typically assigned to simulations of casino-based gambling.
Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency
Prominently featured images or activities that are typically associated with real-world gambling even if they are not directly simulating a gambling experience
Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency
Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency.Typically assigned to simulations of casino-based gambling.
Mild to moderate use of profanity
Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity
Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in music
Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music
Mild to moderate use of profanity
Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in music
Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity
Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music
Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity
Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity
Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity
Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity
Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity
Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts
Mild provocative references or materials
References to sex or sexuality
Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity
Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity
References to sex or sexuality
Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts
Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity
Mild provocative references or materials

NOTE: Content Descriptors are applied relative to the Rating Category assigned and are not intended to be a complete listing of content. When a Content Descriptor is preceded by the term “Mild” it is intended to convey low frequency, intensity or severity.

Interactive Elements

Interactive Elements highlight interactive or online features that may be of interest or concern but do not influence the rating assignment of a product. This includes users' ability to interact with each other, the sharing of users' location with other users, if purchases of digital goods or services are offered, and/or if unrestricted internet access is provided.
In-Game Purchases

Contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real world currency, including but not limited to bonus levels, skins, music, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency, subscriptions, season passes and upgrades (e.g., to disable ads).

In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)

Contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real world currency (or with virtual coins or other forms of in-game currency that can be purchased with real world currency) for which the player doesn’t know prior to purchase the specific digital goods or premiums they will be receiving (e.g., loot boxes, item packs, mystery awards).

Users Interact

Indicates possible exposure to unfiltered/uncensored user-generated content, including user-to-user communications and media sharing via social media and networks

Shares Location

Includes the ability to display the user’s location to other users of the app

Unrestricted Internet

Provides unrestricted access to the internet (e.g., browser, search engine)

Online Music Not Rated by the ESRB – Warns that songs that are streamed or downloaded as add-ons for music-based games have not been rated and that their content has not been considered in the ESRB rating assignment.

 

ESRB Ratings Criteria for Non-Game Apps:

The ESRB Rating Guide and all search results on ESRB.org refer to games rated through our traditional rating process. However, ESRB also assigns ratings to non-game apps on certain mobile and digital storefronts that have licensed the IARC rating system. For insight into some of the criteria ESRB uses to rate non-game apps, click here.

A woman in the image is browsing ESRB ratings on her smartphone, checking the age-appropriate content for video games or other media in a retail setting.

Rating Summaries

Rating Summaries are assigned to many physical games and provide more detailed information about the content in a game and its context. You can find rating summaries when you conduct a ratings search on this site or download the free ESRB Rating Search App.
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