Understanding Global Age Ratings: A Game Developer's Perspective

In the early 1990s, video games like Mortal Kombat sparked intense debates about violence in video games. With its graphic fatalities and intense combat, the game drew public and political attention, leading to calls for better regulation of content in games. In response, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) was established in 1994 to provide a clear and standardized age rating system, helping parents and players make informed decisions about game content. This marked a pivotal moment in how games were regulated, and today, every major region has its own rating system to ensure games are suitable for different age groups.

Just as Mortal Kombat showed the need for content regulation, today’s game developers must understand and comply with these global rating systems to avoid potential pitfalls, such as market bans or restricting your game’s audience.

Global Age Rating Systems Overview

To help you navigate these waters, here’s a breakdown of the major age rating systems, sorted by continent:

North America

ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) – United States and Canada

The ESRB was established after the controversy surrounding games like Mortal Kombat. It categorizes games with ratings like E for Everyone, T for Teen, and M for Mature. These ratings are essential for both digital and retail game sales in North America.

Europe

PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) – Europe

The PEGI system is the standard for most European countries. It uses simple age markers like 3, 7, 12, 16, and 18 to help players and parents understand the game’s content and its appropriateness for different age groups.

PEGI-PT (Portugal’s PEGI Version) – Portugal

PEGI-PT is a localized version of the PEGI system, with minor adjustments that account for specific cultural concerns in Portugal.

USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle) – Germany

The USK focuses heavily on protecting young audiences and places strict regulations on violent or disturbing content. Games are rated by age groups like 0, 6, 12, 16, and 18.

Asia

CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization) – Japan

The CERO system is one of Japan’s primary rating boards. Its categories range from A (all ages) to Z (18+ only), with stricter policies around gambling, violence, and sexual content compared to Western standards.

GRB (Game Rating and Administration Committee) – South Korea

The GRB operates in South Korea, focusing on content such as violence and online interaction. Their ratings are crucial for local distribution and digital sales.

CADPA (China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association) – China

In China, CADPA enforces strict content censorship. Games with excessive violence or political content often face bans or heavy modification to align with the country’s strict content regulations.

Latin America

DJCTQ (Department of Justice, Rating, Titles, and Qualification) – Brazil

Brazil’s DJCTQ assigns age ratings such as Livre (All ages) or 18+, focusing on content like drugs, sexual content, and violence. Compliance is mandatory for game distribution in Brazil.

Middle East

GSRR (General Secretariat for Regulation of Rides and Shows) – Saudi Arabia

The GSRR in Saudi Arabia applies strict cultural and religious guidelines to game ratings. Content around gender roles, violence, and religious themes is highly scrutinized.

Oceania

OFLC (Office of Film and Literature Classification) – Australia & New Zealand

The OFLC operates in Australia and New Zealand, applying ratings like G, PG, M, and R18+. Australia is particularly strict on content like drug use and extreme violence, often requiring games to be reclassified or edited before release.

Cultural and Historical Sensitivities in Age Ratings

Beyond the general age rating systems, developers must also be aware of specific cultural sensitivities that can influence ratings—or even lead to bans—depending on the content. Here are some important examples of how different countries handle culturally sensitive symbols or themes:

Germany: Prohibited Symbols (Nazi Imagery)

Nazi symbols, including the swastika, are banned under German law unless they appear in historical contexts where their inclusion is justified. Games set during WWII that feature these symbols can face significant hurdles unless they meet the legal exceptions.

India: Sacred Cows and Religious Icons

In India, cows are sacred in Hinduism, and their depiction requires extreme sensitivity. Any portrayal of violence toward cows could cause backlash, and the same applies to Hindu religious symbols, which should be handled with care to avoid public outrage.

China: Political and Religious Symbols

China strictly regulates political and religious content, especially anything that could be seen as promoting rebellion, independence movements, or content critical of the Chinese government. Topics like Tibet or the Tiananmen Square Massacre are particularly sensitive.

Middle Eastern Countries: Religious Content

In Saudi Arabia and similar regions, video games depicting inappropriate religious symbols, sexual content, or LGBTQ+ themes are heavily censored. Anything deemed anti-Islamic or disrespectful can be banned from sale.

Efficiency Considerations

In some markets, you must also consider performance optimization tied to the use of fonts or symbols. For instance, bitmap fonts are generally more efficient than dynamic fonts like TTF (TrueType) or OTF (OpenType) due to their pre-rendered nature, resulting in less impact on CPU and GPU performance. Dynamic fonts, while offering more flexibility, can impose higher processing demands, making bitmap fonts a better option in hardware-constrained environments.

Conclusion

For game developers, understanding the intricacies of global age rating systems is vital to ensuring that your game reaches its intended audience without regulatory roadblocks. Each rating system has its own set of criteria that reflect cultural norms, political contexts, and religious sensitivities. Knowing how to navigate these complexities will help you maintain compliance and avoid costly delays, ensuring your game is playable by the right audience in every market.

Taking the time to learn about these systems also offers insight into the broader cultural dynamics at play in each region. Whether adjusting content to comply with Germany’s regulations on prohibited symbols or avoiding depictions of religious content in Middle Eastern countries, these considerations should be a core part of the development and localization process.