Video Game Age Rating Certification Process

Securing an age rating certification is a crucial step in video game development that ensures compliance with regional laws, platform holder requirements, and storefront policies. This article outlines the step-by-step process developers must follow to obtain official age ratings from major global boards, including preparing submission materials, navigating digital and physical rating systems, and implementing the final certificates.

1. Identify Target Markets and Rating Boards

Before starting the submission process, developers must identify where the game will be sold, as different regions rely on different self-regulatory bodies. The most prominent rating boards include: * ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board): North America * PEGI (Pan European Game Information): Europe * CERO (Computer Entertainment Rating Organization): Japan * ACB (Australian Classification Board): Australia * GRAC (Game Rating and Administration Committee): South Korea

2. Choose the Submission Path (Digital vs. Physical)

The certification process differs significantly depending on the distribution medium: * Digital-Only Releases (IARC): For digital storefronts (such as Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, Google Play, and Steam), developers can use the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) system. This is a streamlined, cost-free process where developers fill out a single questionnaire to generate ratings for multiple global territories simultaneously. * Physical Releases: For games sold on physical discs or cartridges, developers must go through the traditional, paid submission process directly with each individual rating board.

3. Prepare Submission Materials

For traditional physical submissions, developers must compile a comprehensive disclosure package. This package typically requires: * A Completed Questionnaire: Detailed answers regarding the game’s content, including violence, sexual themes, language, use of drugs/alcohol, gambling, and microtransactions. * Content Video Footage: A video showcasing the most extreme content in the game (e.g., the most intense violence, strongest profanity, or explicit scenes) as well as typical gameplay. * A Playable Build: In some cases, particularly for boards like CERO or GRAC, a playable prototype or final build of the game must be provided for hands-on testing.

4. Evaluation and Review

Once the materials are submitted, the rating board reviews them: * Automated/Honor System (IARC): Ratings are issued almost immediately based on the developer’s questionnaire answers. However, boards routinely audit these games post-release and can change the rating if undisclosed content is found. * Manual Evaluation (Traditional): Professional raters watch the submitted footage, review the context of the game, and sometimes play the build. They then assign a tentative age rating and content descriptors.

5. Finalize and Implement the Ratings

Once the rating is assigned, the developer must: * Accept the Rating: If the developer is satisfied with the rating, they officially accept it. If the rating is higher than expected (e.g., Mature instead of Teen), the developer can appeal the decision or edit the game content and resubmit. * Display Rating Logos: Developers must integrate the official rating logos and content descriptors onto the game’s physical packaging, digital storefront pages, marketing materials, and game boot-up screens according to each board’s strict graphic guidelines.