Video Game Ratings Can Bump from T to M at the Drop of DLC

Roxanne Powell • Oct 09, 2020

Ratings are a tricky business, with each country having its own set of rules. Throw in the fact that movies, television shows, and video games each have their own set of rating guidelines and you could be reading the specs for ages. In North America, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is responsible for rating video games for mass consumption. Parents want to know exactly what kind of game they are buying for their children, and on the other end of the spectrum, critics want to know how to review games for their fans. Or, you know, people want to just know what to expect when buying a game off a shelf.

Before you read the synopsis on the back of the box, before you know how many players are needed for the best gaming experience, you see the rating on the front of the package. Just like when you go to the movies, those ratings are the first thing you see—and they are constantly changing! A film that was rated PG in the 1960s could jump to a PG-13 in 2020, or the other way around, and video games are no different.

“Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion”

According to GameRant , the ESRB rules changed shortly after “Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion” was released. “Elder Scrolls” is a popular franchise that allows its players to run around the fictional world of Skyrim, completing quests and looting treasure. When ESRB found out that PC gamers were modding the game to have female characters walk around in revealing clothing or armor, they changed the rating from T (Teen) to M (Mature).

Mods are not the same as downloadable content (DLC). DLCs are made by the game developers, while mods are created by fans. DLCs and mods both enhance gameplay, but only DLCs can receive their own ratings from the ESRB.

T level 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.” M level content, on the other hand, includes all of that at a slightly higher level as well as “intense violence, blood and gore, [and] sexual content.”

“Batman: Arkham Knight”

The Batman videogames, both console and PC, give fans of the comics and movies the ability to step into the cape of their favorite billionaire vigilante. Until the release of “Batman: Arkham Knight” every game had been rated T for Teen. “Arkham Knight” received a ratings bump because of two specific torture scenes between Batman and the Joker.

According to GameRant, these torture scenes “seem to go over the top” and there are some other “suggestive scenes,” but the game is otherwise on par with others in the franchise.

These are just two examples of how ratings can change within a game franchise or because of additional content. The ratings scale within North America’s ESRB and similar companies are constantly changing with the times, but the safety of gaming consumers remains constant.

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