Video Game Purchases
Know The Ratings Before You Buy
With the Christmas season fast approaching (and Black Friday just around the corner), I have heard several concerns by parents and grandparents as to what video games might be appropriate for children. Now many people know that games have a rating system, but a shocking number of buyers don’t actually know what the ratings are. Hopefully, this article will shed some light on the topic. First, I will post the description of the ratings that is given on the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website. Then, I will explain what the rating actually means.
EC (Early Childhood): “Content is intended for young children.” In actuality, this rating is not given very much. It is one of the more transparent ratings, so if you are thinking about buying this as an educational or entertainment option for a young child, you don’t really have anything to worry about.
E (Everyone): “Content is generally suitable for all ages. May contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.” Along with the rating I will describe shortly, this is the primary rating for kid-friendly games. As a parent/grandparent/guardian, you almost certainly won’t be surprised by any of the game’s content, unless you are opposed to any of the above mentioned elements entirely. Please note, by violence, it doesn’t mean bloody violence. Even something like the Poke’mon franchise, which hardly ever even shows physical contact in the games, will be labeled as containing violence. Overall, this is a safe bet for kids’ gifts.
E 10+ (Everyone Ages 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.” This is where games start to become more action-oriented. Again, the violence is not heavy or graphic by any means, but you can start to see some more martial themes than in the earlier rating systems. Also, the games tend to be more intricate than those geared towards younger audiences. Many of the Legend of Zelda games carry this rating, which are widely-loved for being adventure games will puzzle elements that even older gamers can enjoy. Typically, you won’t find much to watch out for here, but some darker themes may be incorporated into the games (evil, fighting, “fantasy” style-adventuring).
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.” The “Teen” rating is often the most misunderstood of all ratings. Just like with PG-13 movies, there are extreme cases on either side of the scale. I have played many T-rated games and wondered just how the game is inappropriate for younger audiences. This is also the point where a lot of parents/guardians begin to blindly follow the rating system. Normally, you can expect a decent amount of violence from these games, sometimes with some mild profanity. That being said, nothing heard in these games will be too severe, and you aren’t going to find hardcore gore, nudity, ect. At this point, the person responsible for the gift needs to do a little research. Instead of not buying a game because the receiver may be under 13, check online for some gameplay. There are tons of video sites where you can type in “X gameplay” (fill in the X, obviously, with the title) and find where many people have recorded their sessions of gaming, so you know exactly what you are buying. Again, there shouldn’t be too much in these games that will utterly shock someone.
M (Mature): “Content is generally suitable for ages 17 and up. May contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.” The M rating is found on some of the more “hardcore” or “AAA” games in the gaming industry. Games like Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Gears of War 3 often sport such a rating. That being said, there are two very different ends of the spectrum to this rating. Halo 4, an unbelievably popular science fiction shooting game was given an M rating for “Blood and Violence.” Having played through the game myself, I can assure buyers that there is nothing in the game that would have pushed it beyond a T rating. There is no language, nor is there gore. The blood is comparable to many T rated games, if only barely more prevalent when fighting, and this entry is actually the most tame, in terms of possibly “inappropriate” content, in the series. Gears of War 3, on the other hand, contains “Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language.” Both games are spectacularly made, and are seen as highpoints in the gaming industry. Both have M ratings (the elements to each I listed can be found on the back of the game’s case). But Halo 4 is a game that many parents probably wouldn’t mind their 13-year-old play. Gears of War 3 takes the phrase “inappropriate for children” and kicks it in the teeth. That being said, the maturity of your child is something only you can decide, so familiarize yourself with these titles before buying them. Your 13-year-old may very well be able to handle anything thrown at him/her: it’s your call as your child’s/s’ guardian.
AO (Adults Only): “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.” Honestly, there isn’t much to say here. Getting an AO rating a a death sentence for a game: most game stores don’t even stock them. I am an avid gamer, and I have never even seen one for sale. Most games that are rated AO cancel production.
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, and should be replaced by a game’s rating once it has been assigned.” Self explanatory, this rating is a placeholder. Disregard it until more information is available.
Hopefully, this guide will help you make an informed purchase. Remember, don’t just follow the label. Know what is appropriate for the receiver, find actual videos of the game if you are unsure what you are getting into, and purchase accordingly.
