ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (2024)

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  • RATING CATEGORIES
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  • RATING SUMMARIES

Rating Categories

Rating Categories suggest age appropriateness.

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ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (1)

Everyone

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

ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (2)

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.

ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (3)

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.

ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (4)

Mature 17+

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

ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (5)

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.

ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (6)

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.

ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (7)

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.

  • All Content
  • Substances
  • Blood/Gore
  • Humor
  • Violence
  • Gambling
  • Language
  • Nudity
  • Sexuality

Alcohol Reference

Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages

Blood

Depictions of blood

Comic Mischief

Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor

Drug Reference

Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs

Gambling Themes

Prominently featured images or activities that are typically associated with real-world gambling even if they are not directly simulating a gambling experience

Language

Mild to moderate use of profanity

Mature Humor

Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references

Partial Nudity

Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity

Sexual Content

Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity

Sexual Violence

Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts

Strong Language

Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity

Strong Sexual Content

Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity

Tobacco Reference

Reference to and/or images of tobacco products

Use of Drugs

The consumption or use of illegal drugs

Violence

Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment.

Animated Blood

Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood

Blood and Gore

Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts

Crude Humor

Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor

Fantasy Violence

Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life

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.

Lyrics

Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in music

Nudity

Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity

Real Gambling

Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency

Simulated Gambling

Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency.Typically assigned to simulations of casino-based gambling.

Strong Lyrics

Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music

Suggestive Themes

Mild provocative references or materials

Use of Alcohol

The consumption of alcoholic beverages

Use of Tobacco

The consumption of tobacco products

Violent References

References to violent acts

Alcohol Reference

Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages

Animated Blood

Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood

Blood

Depictions of blood

Blood and Gore

Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts

Comic Mischief

Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor

Crude Humor

Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor

Drug Reference

Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs

Fantasy Violence

Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life

Gambling Themes

Prominently featured images or activities that are typically associated with real-world gambling even if they are not directly simulating a gambling experience

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.

Language

Mild to moderate use of profanity

Lyrics

Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in music

Mature Humor

Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references

Nudity

Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity

Partial Nudity

Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity

Real Gambling

Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency

Sexual Content

Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity

Sexual Themes

References to sex or sexuality

Sexual Violence

Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts

Simulated Gambling

Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency.Typically assigned to simulations of casino-based gambling.

Strong Language

Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity

Strong Lyrics

Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music

Strong Sexual Content

Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity

Suggestive Themes

Mild provocative references or materials

Tobacco Reference

Reference to and/or images of tobacco products

Use of Alcohol

The consumption of alcoholic beverages

Use of Drugs

The consumption or use of illegal drugs

Use of Tobacco

The consumption of tobacco products

Violence

Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment.

Violent References

References to violent acts

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Alcohol Reference

Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages

Tobacco Reference

Reference to and/or images of tobacco products

Use of Drugs

The consumption or use of illegal drugs

Drug Reference

Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs

Use of Alcohol

The consumption of alcoholic beverages

Use of Tobacco

The consumption of tobacco products

Alcohol Reference

Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages

Drug Reference

Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs

Tobacco Reference

Reference to and/or images of tobacco products

Use of Alcohol

The consumption of alcoholic beverages

Use of Drugs

The consumption or use of illegal drugs

Use of Tobacco

The consumption of tobacco products

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Animated Blood

Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood

Blood and Gore

Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts

Blood

Depictions of blood

Animated Blood

Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood

Blood

Depictions of blood

Blood and Gore

Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts

Comic Mischief

Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor

Mature Humor

Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references

Crude Humor

Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor

Comic Mischief

Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor

Crude Humor

Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor

Mature Humor

Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references

Fantasy Violence

Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life

Violence

Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment.

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.

Violent References

References to violent acts

Fantasy Violence

Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life

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.

Violence

Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment.

Violent References

References to violent acts

Gambling Themes

Prominently featured images or activities that are typically associated with real-world gambling even if they are not directly simulating a gambling experience

Simulated Gambling

Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency.Typically assigned to simulations of casino-based gambling.

Real Gambling

Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency

Gambling Themes

Prominently featured images or activities that are typically associated with real-world gambling even if they are not directly simulating a gambling experience

Real Gambling

Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency

Simulated Gambling

Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency.Typically assigned to simulations of casino-based gambling.

Language

Mild to moderate use of profanity

Strong Language

Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity

Lyrics

Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in music

Strong Lyrics

Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music

Language

Mild to moderate use of profanity

Lyrics

Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in music

Strong Language

Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity

Strong Lyrics

Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music

Nudity

Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity

Partial Nudity

Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity

Nudity

Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity

Partial Nudity

Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity

Sexual Content

Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity

Sexual Violence

Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts

Suggestive Themes

Mild provocative references or materials

Sexual Themes

References to sex or sexuality

Strong Sexual Content

Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity

Sexual Content

Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity

Sexual Themes

References to sex or sexuality

Sexual Violence

Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts

Strong Sexual Content

Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity

Suggestive Themes

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.

ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (8)

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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ESRB Ratings Guides, Categories, Content Descriptors (2024)
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