Video game ratings explained

Every year, Black Friday brings opportunities to buy gifts at reduced prices. That’s when many parents shop for discounted video games that often carry a hefty price tag and are usually one of the “most wanted” items on their kids’ Christmas lists.
But the history of video gaming has been marked by concerning or problematic material, from the sexual and violent content of Grand Theft Auto (1997) to the predator-attracting worlds of Roblox (2006).
Researchers Søren Kristiansen and Majbritt Christine Severin of Aalborg University in Denmark conducted a 2020 study on loot boxes (randomized, in-game rewards found in many video games). The researchers surveyed 1,137 Denmark youth, ages 12 to 16, and found a link “between loot box engagement and problem gambling severity.”
And although the American Psychological Association did not conclude that playing violent video games leads to serious acts of violence, it asserted in 2020 that studies had found a “small, reliable association” between violent video game use and aggressive outcomes such as yelling.
In light of negative correlations like these, discerning parents will want to dig beyond the hype to understand whether a video game is an appropriate Christmas gift. That is why it is useful to understand the ratings on video games sold in the United States.

Why the ratings exist
In 1993, the U.S. Senate held hearings on video game violence, citing the games Mortal Kombat (1992) and Night Trap (1992). Mortal Kombat famously featured cutting-edge graphics and depicted acts of gore and violence in unprecedented detail for a video game. Night Trap contained graphic depictions of violence against female characters.
Facing possible government regulation, video game companies developed a uniform rating system, and the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) was established in 1994.
To this day, all major gaming platforms and many retail companies require a game to have an ESRB rating before they offer it for sale. Digital-only games generally receive their ratings through the International Age Rating Coalition, of which the ESRB is a member. ESRB ratings also appear on many digital storefronts and cloud-gaming services.

What the ratings mean
An ESRB rating contains three types of information: Rating Categories (from E to RP), Content Descriptors, and Interactive Elements. ESRB Rating Categories provide a quick indication of the age group for which a game is considered suitable. Ratings for older audiences generally permit stronger or more explicit content. (See sidebar.) Content Descriptors explain what contributed to a game’s rating, identifying elements such as violence or sexual content.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023), for example, is rated E10+ for fantasy violence and mild suggestive themes, including “stylized battles [that] are sometimes frenetic, accompanied by impact sounds, cries of pain, and brief explosions. A handful of creatures (e.g., Great Faeries) wear revealing outfits. … Characters are sometimes depicted wearing boxer-briefs.”
Interactive Elements help buyers understand how a game connects players to the internet through social or commercial features.
• In-game purchases: Virtual items or subscriptions can be purchased with real currency.
• In-game purchases (of random items): Includes purchases in which players do not know what items they will receive, such as loot boxes.
• User interaction: Exposure to unfiltered user-generated content and communication.
• Location sharing: Displays or shares player location with others.
• Unrestricted internet: Offers unfiltered internet access that may lack protection.