What is ESRB?

The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) is the non-profit group that assigns age and content ratings to video games sold in the United States and Canada. A rating tells you the youngest suitable age, from Everyone up to Mature 17+ on nearly every game, plus content descriptors like Violence, Language, or Blood.

How ESRB ratings work

Publishers submit each game to the ESRB before release, and the board reviews gameplay footage plus a detailed content questionnaire. It then assigns one age category, and it's the content descriptors that spell out what's actually inside.

Those labels print on the physical box and the digital store page, so you'll see the same rating either way. Stores only treat it as guidance, though, so whether they'll sell a Mature title to a younger player comes down to the retailer.

The ESRB rating labels

• E (Everyone): Fine for all ages, with cartoon or fantasy violence at most.
• E10+ (Everyone 10+): Aimed at ages 10 and up, where you'll get a bit more cartoon violence or mild language.
• T (Teen): Aimed at ages 13 and up, and it can include moderate violence, crude humor, or minimal blood.
• M (Mature 17+): Aimed at ages 17 and up, with intense violence, strong language, or mature themes.
• AO (Adults Only 18+): The top tier, for the most extreme content, and it's rare because most stores and consoles won't stock an AO game.

Games and their ESRB ratings

• F1 24 holds an ESRB Everyone rating, so it's fine for any age on a family console.
• Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition is rated Teen, the one exception on our cozy PS5 list, and that's down to its subject matter.
• Horizon Forbidden West carries an ESRB Teen rating, so it's open to younger players than the Mature picks around it.
• Elden Ring is rated Mature 17+, so it's limited to players 17 and older.

ESRB vs PEGI

The ESRB rates games for the United States and Canada, while PEGI covers much of Europe with its own age bands. A single game can land on a different age tier in each system, so what's on the box depends on where you're buying.