Use a game’s age rating as a first screen, then check its content descriptors, online features, purchases, and fit with your child. No rating can make the decision for your family: a child’s maturity and sensitivities, your household rules, and the controls available on the device all matter.
What a video game rating tells you—and what it doesn’t
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating has three parts: an age category, content descriptors that explain what prompted the rating, and interactive elements that flag features such as user interactions, in-game purchases, location sharing, or unrestricted internet access. For physical games rated by ESRB, a Rating Summary can provide more detail about the content. Read the explanation as well as the category; a category alone does not cover every concern a family may have. ESRB explains its rating components and summaries.
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ESRB describes its rating system as voluntary overall, although console makers and some retailers and digital storefronts require ratings for the products they offer. Ratings may appear on physical packaging and digital storefronts, including through IARC processes on participating storefronts. Check the specific edition and platform your child will use rather than assuming a similar title or another game in the same franchise has the same rating. ESRB’s parent resources explain where to find ratings.
A practical checklist for choosing a game
1. Start with your child
Consider age, maturity, sensitivities, prior gaming experience, and how your child responds to the kinds of content or play you are concerned about. Children of the same age can have different needs. If siblings share a device, individual accounts can help you set different permissions for each child.
#1 Best Overall
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2. Read the descriptors and rating summary
Look at why the game received its category and what the summary says about its content. Decide whether those details fit your family’s boundaries; do not treat the category as a complete description of the experience.
3. Check what happens beyond the screen
Find out whether the game includes online multiplayer, voice or text communication, in-game purchases, location sharing, or unrestricted internet access. Consider who your child may play with, what they can share, and whether purchases require your approval. These features can matter as much as the game’s on-screen content.
Rank #2
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4. Compare candidates on the same questions
When you are choosing between games, use the same criteria for each rather than relying on a franchise name or a single category.
- Age category, content descriptors, and details in the Rating Summary.
- Online multiplayer and communication features.
- Purchases and other interactive elements, including privacy-related features.
- Fit with your child’s interests, maturity, and your household rules.
- Whether the platform offers controls that support the limits you want to set.
5. Make the decision with your child
Explain why a game is or is not a fit, and ask what interests your child about it. A clear conversation helps connect the decision to your family’s rules instead of making the rating seem like the only reason. Revisit the choice as your child’s maturity and gaming habits change.
Rank #3
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Where to check a game’s rating
For a physical game, look at the front or back of the box. For a digital game, check its storefront listing before buying or installing. You can also search ESRB’s rating database or use its app. Confirm the platform and version, then review any relevant content summary and interactive elements.
Set controls that match your household rules
Parental controls can help manage access by rating, play time, spending, and online communication, depending on the device or service. Create a child account, enter accurate birthdate information, and secure parent settings with a PIN or password. Separate accounts are especially useful when children who need different limits share a device. Menu names and available features vary, so follow the current instructions for the platform or service your child uses.
Rank #4
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ESRB’s parental-control guides cover Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox consoles, Windows PC, Meta Quest, and services including Battle.net, EA, Fortnite, Google Play, Minecraft, Roblox, and Ubisoft accounts. The controls available differ by platform; check the guide for the specific device or service rather than assuming every setting exists everywhere.
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ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide offers broad age-based prompts for parents. They are guidance from the rating body, not universal developmental rules or legal standards.
Best Value
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- Under five: The guide says games designed for this age are mostly education-based and recommends setting a screen-time limit.
- Ages five to nine: It recommends individual accounts and controls for ratings, time, communication, and spending.
- Ages ten to twelve: It highlights checking ratings, managing online communication, and controlling purchases as gaming becomes more social.
- Ages thirteen to sixteen: It advises discussion and gradually adjusting rules as maturity develops.
- At seventeen: The guide frames the young person as empowered to make their own decisions about content and online interactions; that is the guide’s framing, not a legal standard or prescription for every family.
What the survey figures can—and can’t—tell parents
ESRB reports that Hart Research Associates found 83% of parents with children who play video games were aware of ESRB ratings and 77% regularly checked them before buying a game in 2025. These figures describe reported parental awareness and behavior; they do not show that a particular rating guarantees a game will suit a particular child. ESRB’s account of the findings attributes them to Hart Research Associates.
ESRB also states that 65% of ratings it assigned to physical and console downloadable games in 2024 were E or E10+. That is the distribution of ratings assigned, not evidence that those games are appropriate for every child. The figure appears on ESRB’s ratings page.
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