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Beyond the Box: ESRB Ratings for Downloadable Video Games

Not getting the response you’d like when asking your kids how their day was at the dinner table? Try perking up the conversation by asking each family member to tell you where they got the video game they last played. In other words, is it from a store at the local mall, an online retailer […]

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Stay Well, Play Well

Dec 3, 2020

ESRB Kicks Off Stay Well, Play Well Outreach Campaign to Assist Parents

By Patricia E. Vance, President, ESRB

Pandemic Redefines What It Means to “Go Play With Your Friends”

Nov 20, 2020

Pandemic Redefines What It Means to “Go Play With Your Friends”

By Alex Pham, Contributor

Video games can be entertaining and educational

Nov 4, 2020

The Educational Value of Video Games

By Will McNeese, Contributor

Parents are in charge of how their kids play video games

Oct 28, 2020

When it Comes to Kids and Video Games, Parents Remain the “Final Boss”

By Patricia E. Vance, President, ESRB

What Parents Need to Know About Video Game Streaming

Aug 12, 2020

What Parents Need to Know About Video Game Streaming

By Vikki Blake, Contributor

Summer games

Jul 30, 2020

Summer Vacation Tips for Parents: Getting the Most Out of Video Games

By Patricia E. Vance, President, ESRB

Picking appropriate games

Jun 8, 2020

How I Pick Appropriate Games for My Kid

By Darren Gladstone, Writer

Pick appropriate games for your kids

May 19, 2020

Why Saying “Yes” to Video Games is Important

By Andy Robertson, Editor, AskAboutGames.com, Author of Taming Gaming

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Did You Know?

59% of the ESRB ratings assigned to physical and console downloadable video games in 2019 were either E (Everyone) or E10+ (Everyone 10+).

Did You Know?

87% of parents who purchase physical video games for their children are aware of ESRB ratings and 77% regularly check them before buying a game. (Source: Hart Research Associates, 2019)

Did You Know?

Most parents consider each part (Rating Category, Content Descriptors, Interactive Elements) of the ESRB rating system to be either “very” or “extremely” important when deciding if a game or app is appropriate for their kids. (Source: Hart Research Associates, 2019)

Did You Know?

Industry guidelines, which are enforced by the ESRB, prohibit the inappropriate target marketing of Mature-rated games.

Did You Know?

ESRB has an enforcement system which allows for the imposition of sanctions, fines (including fines up to $1 million), and corrective actions on publishers for non-compliance with its guidelines.

Did You Know?

According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission 87% of kids under the age of 17 are turned away when trying to buy an M-rated game at retail.

Did You Know?

The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia wrote: “This [ESRB rating] system does much to ensure that minors cannot purchase seriously violent games on their own, and that parents who care about the matter can readily evaluate the games their children bring home.”

Did You Know?

The E (Everyone) rating was originally called K-A (Kids to Adults) but was changed in 1998.

Did You Know?

The ESRB rating system has three parts – Rating Categories, Content Descriptors and Interactive Elements, the latter of which were introduced in 2013.

Did You Know?

Introduced in 2008, Rating Summaries provide greater detail about the content in physical games rated by the ESRB, and are exclusively available on this website or the ESRB mobile app by conducting a title search.

Did You Know?

ESRB uses more than 30 different Content Descriptors to help communicate what’s in a game.

Did You Know?

The FTC considers the ESRB to have “the strongest self-regulatory code” among media rating systems in the U.S. and has confirmed that retailers maintain a high store policy compliance rate.

Did You Know?

Founded in 2013 by many of the world’s leading video game rating authorities, the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) administers the first globally streamlined age classification process for digital games and mobile apps that respects the unique cultural norms of each region.

Did You Know?

In 1999 ESRB Privacy Online (now called ESRB Privacy Certified) launched its certification program and was sanctioned by the FTC as a “Safe Harbor” under Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Did You Know?

More than 70% of parents would be more comfortable allowing their children to download and play a game certified by ESRB Privacy Certified (Source: Hart Research Associates, 2018).

Did You Know?

It’s never too late to have “the conversation” with your kids about what, when, and how they can play!

Did You Know?

Activating parental controls on your children’s video game devices helps you enforce house rules, such as limiting play time, blocking games with certain ESRB ratings, and managing in-game spending.

Did You Know?

The average gamer is between the ages of 35 and 44.