Age rating in video games

Age Rating service for video games

As dedicated gamers, of course, we believe that playing games is for everyone, no matter the age. At the same time, we know that not ALL games are for everyone. Depending on their content, some titles are only suitable for adults, while others are safe for younger players. And this is not just a question of ethics or a cautionary measure. It’s a requirement.

Whether it’s PEGI, ESRB, CERO or other similar labels, submitting to platforms like Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo or GoG, as well as selling in physical stores, requires the game to have the appropriate age classification. This is where Age Rating for video games comes in.

As an external team with hundreds of Age Rating projects completed, we can help you navigate through the intricacies of this step. Let’s have a look at what this service means and what we can do to mark your game safe and ready for release.

What is Age Rating for video games?

Age Rating refers to classifications and labels attributed to games that help us understand if a title is appropriate for specific age groups. They are meant to provide an ethical, transparent overview of a game, in order to protect younger players and children from being exposed to inappropriate content.

Since games are vast and difficult to vet, these Age Rating labels help parents to determine if a game is safe for their children. And even more, in some countries (e.g. Germany, France, UK, Australia, South Korea and more) age disclaimers are required through laws and regulations.

The age classifications do not reflect in any way the difficulty of a game or any age limitation based on complexity, but rather act as an indicator of how appropriate the in-game content is for various age groups.

Age Rating Institutions

To market a game in various countries or even in the online space, it needs to have the appropriate Age Rating label. But who takes care of this?

There are dedicated boards and institutions that specialize in Age Rating, depending on the geographical region. The most prevalent ones are ESRB for the US market, PEGI for EU countries, or CERO in Japan. Other examples of such agencies are ACB, GRAC, CLASSIND, OFLC.NZ, GSR, or GCAM.

Let’s have a closer look at the three Age Rating boards we work with the most:

PEGI:

➡️Stands for Pan European Game Information;
➡️Relevant in +35 European countries;
➡️Labels: PEGI 3, PEGI 7, PEGI 12, PEGI 16, PEGI 18, along with a number of warning labels for specific content.

ESRB:

➡️Stands for Entertainment Software Rating Board;
➡️Relevant for American markets (US, Canada, Mexico);
➡️Lables: E (Everyone), E10+ (Everyone 10+), T (Teen), M (Mature 17+), and AO (Adults Only 18+).

CERO:

➡️Stands for Computer Entertainment Rating Organization;
➡️Relevant in Japan;
➡️Lables: A (black, all ages), B (green, 12+), C (blue, 15+), D (orange, 17+), Z (red, 18+).

For digital-only games, there’s IARC (International Age Rating Coalition), which streamlines the entire process. Created by authorities to provide regulation for digital copies, the IARC system allows developers to fill in details about their games and receive country-specific labels, without going through each agency individually.

Obtaining an Age Rating label

To obtain the right classification, developers must make a submission with the corresponding Age Rating bodies. This implies putting together documentation and providing examples of gameplay, along with a playable build. The materials are then analysed and the game will an appropriate age rating classification based on the presence of mature, problematic, or sensitive elements. Some examples might be:

  • Use of substances and alcohol
  • Violence against human characters
  • Violence against non-human characters
  • Blood& gore
  • Mature language
  • Religious or political symbols
  • Gambling
  • …and others

Each agency has a slightly different approach, there is no exact correspondent from one rating system to another. Instead, the label will be determined in the submission process.

How can we help with Age Rating?

At Quantic Lab, we have a dedicated team that handles this service. We help developers and publishers to file their game, keeping into account the requirements of specific agencies.

As part of this service, we prepare submission documents and we put together an extensive video with gameplay sequences that highlight relevant content, so the submission process can go smoothly.

Here are the main benefits of working with Quantic Lab for the Age Rating service:

✔ Experience: We’ve prepared documentation for hundreds of games and we know the ins and outs of this process.

✔ Knowledge: We’re familiar with the rating bodies and their particularities.

✔ Know-how: We know what to look for, we easily recognize content that should be included.

✔ Up-to-date: We have current information and we’re always aware of the latest changes.

✔ Efficiency: We have an established workflow and the right configuration to handle this process efficiently.

Rating agencies prefer to receive the information from a build that’s as close to the release as possible. This means the deadlines are usually tight, as the submission will be made close to the release of the game. Because of this, we recommend working with an external team that can seamlessly handle things for you. It’s usually best to contract this service in advance, so it can be included into the release timeline (no one likes last-minute surprises, right?).

If you are ready to sell the game digitally or in physical stores anywhere in the world, we can help you through this mandatory process. Let’s talk about your game!