Video Games
Age-based ratings are on the front of video game packages, in ads, and on web sites.
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EC
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E
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E10+
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T
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M
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AO
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Early Childhood
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Everyone
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Everyone 10+
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Teen
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Mature
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Adults Only
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| Content may be suitable for children age 3 and older. | Content may be suitable for those 6 and older; game may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, and/or infrequent use of mild language. | Content may be suitable for ages 10 and older; game may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes. | Content may be suitable for ages 13 and older; game may contain violent , suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language. | Content may be suitable for ages 17 and older; game may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. | Content suitable only for age 18 and older; game may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity. |
The Entertainment Software Rating Board also assigns content descriptors to video games. You will find these on the back of video game packages and at www.esrb.org. Some descriptors you might see are:
Animated Blood
Blood
Blood and Gore
Cartoon Violence
Comic Mischief
Fantasy Violence
Intense Violence
Mild Violence
Sexual Violence
Violence
Video game consoles generally include a parental control feature that allows parents to restrict children’s access to games based on ESRB rating.
Coin Operated Video Games
A color-coded “traffic light” system advises players whether games have strong or mild violence, language, or sexual content.
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YELLOW
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Animated Violence
Mild |
Life like Violence Mild
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Sexual content Mild
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Language Mild
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| Scenes of violence involving cartoon-like characters in combative activity with violent elements that do not result in bloodshed, serious injury, or death to characters. | Scenes of violence involving human-like characters in combative activity with violent elements that do not result in bloodshed, serious injury, or death to characters. | Contains sexually suggestive references or material. | Contains commonly used four-letter words. |
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RED
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Animated Violence
Strong |
Life like Violence Strong
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Sexual content Strong
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Language Strong
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| Scenes of strong violence involving cartoon-like characters, which result in bloodshed, serious injury or death to characters. | Scenes of strong violence involving human-like characters, which result in bloodshed, serious injury or death to characters. | Contains graphic depictions of sexual behavior and/or the human body. | Contains strong four-letter expletives. |