Is Among Us Appropriate for Your Kids?

Among Us is rated E10+ for Everyone 10+, with Content Descriptors that include Fantasy Violence and Mild Blood. It also has Interactive Elements that include “Users Interact,” meaning players are able to chat with one another, and “In-Game Purchases,” which lets parents know the game offers the ability to make additional purchases using real-world currency.

ESRB’s Rating Summary provides more detail, stating that “players can attack other characters by using various weapons (e.g., knives, pistols, spikes); brief animations depict characters eliminating each other (e.g., getting impaled, stabbed, shot), leaving behind a cartoony corpse for others to discover.”

While the action is very cartoony and lighthearted, some parents may want to look up gameplay videos to make sure it’s appropriate for their kids.

Where Can I Play Among Us and How Much Does it Cost?

Among Us is available to download on just about every platform you can think of with varying prices, including:

• Windows PC – $4.99
• PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 – $4.99
• Nintendo Switch – $5.00
• Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S – $4.99
• Android – Free-to-play
• iOS – Free-to-play

There are also several physical (e.g., boxed) versions of Among Us available to purchase at your retailer of choice, such as Among Us – Crewmate Edition or Among Us – Ejected Edition. These versions typically include in-game and (sometimes) physical extras in addition to the game disk. As such, price varies, starting at $29.99 for the Crewmate Edition, $49.99 for the Imposter Edition, and $89.99 for the Ejected Edition.

As mentioned, all versions include the ability to purchase in-game currency using real-world money, which can in turn be used to exchange for bundles of in-game cosmetics. The in-game currency, known as Stars, can be purchased for:

• 20 Stars – $1.99
• 30 Stars – $2.99
• 40 Stars – $4.99
• 110 Stars – $9.99
• 300 Stars – $24.99

As mentioned, these can be used to exchange for bundles of cosmetic items, which are strictly visual, and only customize the appearance of your Crewmate. These include accessories like hats, clothing (called “skins”), pets, visors, and more.

Alternatively, Crewmates can earn the Beans – the free in-game currency – through regular gameplay. Beans can be exchanged for individual cosmetic items as you play, meaning all purchases are strictly optional and do not impact the gameplay in any way. Note that you have to complete a match to earn Beans.

Both Beans and stars can also be used to exchange for “Cosmicubes.” According to Among Us developer, InnerSloth, Cosmicubes are “special items that have themed cosmetics you unlock via a branching path.” By activating a Cosmicube your player can earn a third kind of currency called pods, which can be used to unlock specific, themed cosmetics within that branching Cosmicube.

Make sure you visit ParentalTools.org for our step-by-step parental controls guides that can help you restrict (or block!) spending on your kids’ game devices.

How Does Among Us Play?

Among Us is an online, multiplayer whodunnit game that casts the players in one of two roles: The Crewmates (good guys!), or the Imposters (bad guys!). Crewmates are given specific jobs or tasks to complete, which change depending on the map. Meanwhile, Imposters are aliens that pose as Crewmates while sabotaging the environment and killing the real Crewmates.

For example, the original Among Us map took place on a spaceship in need of maintenance. Some Crewmates may be tasked with fixing wires, cleaning vents, clearing asteroids, and more, all with the goal of keeping the ship running smoothly. Imposters can sabotage these jobs and/or kill Crewmates to slow down the process.

Should the body of a Crewmate be found (which it will!), players can report it to start an emergency meeting. This meeting brings all players together to go over evidence, discuss who may be the culprit, and vote to eject someone.

The game ends when either all of the Imposters are ejected or there are as many Imposters as there are real Crewmates.

There’s a surprising amount of depth to Among Us, especially when you take into account the ever-growing number of maps, tasks, and roles (which dictate the tasks your Crewmate is best suited to tackle).

Managing Online Gameplay

A big part of Among Us is the social component of discussing a murder and scrutinizing evidence with your fellow Crewmates. Fortunately, between platform level controls, and in-game filters, there’s a lot you can do to keep things appropriate for your kids.

From the jump, make sure you set up a child account for your kids – especially if they’re under the age of 13. In fact, with all online services, it’s essential that your kids know to enter their correct birthday when creating an account. Children under the age of 13 are afforded numerous protections under the law regarding information that can be collected from them. During the signup process the game will prompt your kids to enter your email address, which will give you the opportunity to provide permission to set up a child account.

Once your kids’ account is set up, they will automatically be set to “Quick-Chat Mode”, which enables a set of canned phrases to communicate with other Crewmates. Furthermore, they cannot communicate directly with other users at all. As the parent, you are free to provide permission to allow your children to communicate directly through the game’s parent portal.

Beyond this, virtually every device offers additional parental controls to help manage or block online communication between players.

Being an Involved Crewmate

Most parents want to be the Crewmate that creates appropriate video game experiences for their kids, and the best way to do that is to stay as involved as you can. This can be as simple as encouraging an ongoing, judgement-free conversation with your kids about what they’re playing, why they like it, and more.

Depending upon the device, parental controls can help parents manage what their kids play, for how long, with whom, and whether (and how much) they can spend money on in-game purchases. ESRB offers free, step-by-step parental controls guides for many platforms as well as a Family Gaming Guide at ParentalTools.org.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Among Us appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

On Twitch, users can watch others livestream as they play games, providing commentary throughout. Coupled with a robust chat system that allows streamers to interact directly with those watching, Twitch can be a magnetic platform for gamers of all ages. Gamers frequently visit Twitch to watch their favorite games being played, chat with other fans, and discuss events in real time. If your kids love games, odds are they have shown an interest in Twitch, and you’ll want to make sure they know how to use the platform safely and appropriately.

What Is Twitch?

From the platform’s website, “Twitch is where millions of people come together live every day to chat, interact, and make their own entertainment together.” Using Twitch, streamers (creators that record and post videos of game play live) entertain their followers with the latest games and gameplay videos. If you’re not familiar, think of it like YouTube, but the content is live (and in some cases archived), as opposed to prerecorded.

More recently, Twitch has grown beyond video games and now hosts streamers for other topics, from politics to travel and even cooking. For example, the most popular non-gaming topic is “Just Chatting”, where streamers will speak with their audience through chat or other voice services (like Discord).

Can My Kids Communicate with Others via Twitch?

Twitch is, at its core, a social platform. Streamers can DM (direct message) fans, and fans can interact with each other via the built-in chat function. Your kids can also “follow” their favorite streamers. This is similar to how you would follow anyone on a social platform: The streamer will show up in your kids’ feed as they go live (i.e., starts a livestream) and, in some cases, your kids may receive a notification to let them know someone they follow is active. Many popular streamers make their own community guidelines for live chats in their streams and hire/choose “chat moderators” to discipline users that are behaving inappropriately.

Users can obtain “Channel Points”, which can be used for streamer-specific actions (such as highlighting their chat message during a stream or even asking the streamer to do a certain action like picking their background music). Channel Points are earned by watching the stream for a certain amount of time, chatting every so often, and purchasing subscriptions during the stream’s duration (more on this later).

Some streamers also cultivate heavily moderated chats that promote safety, but unsolicited private messages can still occur in this space.

Does Twitch Cost Money?

Twitch is free, but there are options to spend money. While many streams are ad-supported, streamers often accept donations from their community, enabling some creators to make Twitch their full-time job.

There are a few functions that may require users to pay for access. For Twitch partners and affiliates (i.e., streamers with a sizable audience and approved through Twitch’s vetting process), users can purchase subscriptions, and streamers will take a portion of those profits. Some streamers also enable donation tools like Streamlabs, Patreon, Kofi, and PayPal, where users can send money to their favorite personalities – almost like a tip jar.

Some streamers also cultivate heavily moderated chats that promote safety, but unsolicited private messages can still occur

For those that have Amazon Prime, there are also free bonuses, such as a free monthly subscription to a Twitch streamer and perks for certain games – which change monthly. This can include in-game items and sometimes even free games. (Twitch is owned by Amazon.) This requires that your kids’ Twitch account be linked to an Amazon Prime account.

Twitch does not have any built-in parental controls for spending so it’s important to discuss spending limits with your kids and enforce household rules about how much, if any, money can be spent. Also, if you don’t want any money spent, make sure you don’t save any credit card information to your kids’ account.

Is There Inappropriate Content on Twitch?

Like many social platforms, there can be inappropriate content on Twitch that’s entirely unrelated to video games. Strictly adult content, such as anything explicitly sexual, is not allowed according to Twitch’s terms of service. However, as a variety of games can be streamed on Twitch, including games that are rated M for Mature, your kids could encounter content that you may consider inappropriate. Note that Twitch prohibits streams for games rated AO (Adults Only).

Fortunately, Twitch streamers can flag their streams with “Content Classification Labels” (CCLs). These labels act as a heads up to viewers and parents about the content of the stream and have the added benefit of helping parents manage what their kids have access to. This includes mandatory labels for streams incorporating:

• Mature-rated games
• Sexual Themes
• Drugs
• Intoxication
• Excessive Tobacco Use
• Violent and Graphic Depictions
• Significant Profanity or Vulgarity
• Gambling

While many of these labels must be toggled manually by the creator, Twitch will automatically label the stream of a game rated M for Mature to let parents and consumers know. To reiterate, streamers are required to label their streams if they contain the above content, but Twitch will do it for them if they fail to. For more on these requirements, visit Twitch’s CCL guide.

Beyond the automatic CCL for Mature-rated games, streamers are not required to display ESRB ratings for the games they stream. So, this is another reason to talk to your kids about who your kids are watching on Twitch, what their favorite streamers are playing, and more. No one knows your kids better than you, so it’s always a good idea to check out your kids’ favorite streamers to see how they behave.

You may also find that streamers run the gamut of appropriateness, just like the games they decide to stream. Even if a streamer is playing a game rated E for Everyone, that does not mean that the streamer’s behavior is equally appropriate. This isn’t automatically a bad thing, but it is something to be aware of as you decide what’s appropriate for your kids.

there can be inappropriate content on Twitch that’s entirely unrelated to video games

For example, some streamers may use strong language that some parents may find objectionable, while others may dress suggestively. Some streamers may choose to discuss topics that reach beyond your kids’ maturity or level of understanding (politics, current events, etc.). None of these immediately or automatically breach Twitch’s community guidelines, but it’s a fine line, and you should be the one to decide what your kids are ready to experience. This is further outlined in Twitch’s CCL guide and in the community guidelines.

Just like other forms of entertainment, Twitch offers something for just about everyone. It’s exciting to have so much varied entertainment at your fingertips, but sometimes it takes some research to decide if a particular streamer is appropriate for your kids.

How to Manage My Kids’ Twitch Activity?

Twitch does not have the kind of parental controls you can expect from video game consoles and other devices, but there are some built-in measures you can take to help manage what your kids are exposed to.

First and foremost, when signing up for an account make sure your kids enter their birthday accurately… and this tip goes for all online services your kids are interested in. This is monumentally important, especially for children under the age of 13, who are afforded numerous protections under the law about the kind of information that can be collected from them. In fact, according to Twitch’s Terms of Service, children 13 or older are allowed to create an account, but only under parental supervision. And children under the age of 13 are not allowed to create an account on Twitch at all, according to its terms of service.  Should a child under the age of 13 manage to create an account, parents can email Twitch to have the account and all associated information permanently deleted after providing relevant information to confirm that their child has breached the terms of service.

If your kids are under 18-years-old, streams labeled with Sexual Themes; Drugs, Intoxication, or Excessive Tobacco Use; Violent and Graphic Depictions; and Gambling will be filtered out by default. However, if your kids are allowed to follow a streamer with one or many of the hidden or blurred CCLs active, they will continue to show up.

You can also block or limit which streams your kids have access to based on the CCLs a streamer activates. Via the Content Display Preference section of the Profile, you can hide content labeled with CCLs that your kids may not be ready for. According to Twitch, these streams will not be recommended to your kids and will not show up as they search for content. There is also an option to blur previews and thumbnails for videos with a Sexual Themes CCL.

As previously mentioned, the chat in any given stream can be somewhat of a wildcard. Streamers cannot always control everything their followers or viewers say, even with dedicated moderators. Twitch does not offer the ability to disable chat during streams, so you can assume that your kids will have some exposure to other users – be it active or passive. However, there are options to “hide chat” for personal interactions, which means that other users cannot directly contact your kids. If that function is not activated strangers can “Whisper” (i.e., private direct message) your kids. You and your kids can block Whispers from anyone that they do not follow or subscribe to. This effectively makes it hard for strangers to reach out to your kids. But if your kids are following or subscribed to someone, that person will be able to Whisper to them.

Twitch also offers the ability to create customizable “chat filters” which can be used to block potentially inappropriate language across any channel your kids want to watch. You can enable them in your “Security & Privacy Settings.”

Streamers cannot always control everything their followers or viewers say, even with dedicated moderators.

Note though, that none of these measures are parental controls, and they are not password or PIN protected like they would be on a video game console or platform. This means your kids can technically roll back these settings without your permission, so it may be helpful to explain to them why these settings are so important and to make it part of your household rules.

Fortunately, Twitch regularly adds new safety and customization options to help make sure no one is surprised when browsing for a new stream to watch.

What If My Child Doesn’t Have an Account or Isn’t Logged In?

Twitch streams can be watched without an account. If you’re not logged in, you cannot participate in chat, but chat is still visible, meaning potentially mature conversations in a chat will appear. However, content labeled with Sexual Themes and/or Gambling will automatically be filtered out if you’re not logged in. It may be tempting to simply not make an account for your kids, but logged-in users have much more control over what they see and can turn off the direct message function entirely, as well as block or report users that are behaving inappropriately.

Talking to Your Kids About Twitch

At this point we’ve mentioned it several times, but the most powerful tool in your parenting tool belt is establishing ongoing and open dialogue with your kids about all of the content they consume online – including Twitch streams. It’s important to know who your kids’ favorite streamers are and why, so you can gain a better understanding of what your kids may experience.

With this information you can take some time to watch streams yourself to see why your kids are drawn to these personalities. In some cases, you may find that the content created by your kids’ favorite personalities are not quite appropriate, leaving the door open to explaining what is and is not permitted, and why. However, it’s just as likely that you’re entertained by it, too… and it may even turn into something you can enjoy as a family or motivate you to try playing the game being streamed!

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-approved COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

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If It Ain’t Broke…

Don’t fix it. Most parents tell us that screen time is their biggest challenge when it comes to video games and their kids. Fortunately, 86% of parents set at least one parental control setting on their kids’ video game devices, and the most frequently used setting is to manage screen time. This doesn’t have to change just because it’s the summer.

If you want, most of these rules and settings can stay in place. That means video games (or all screens!) are off during “school hours” when you may want your kids to be engaged in other activities like camp, playing outside, going swimming, riding their bike, reading a book and/or hanging out with friends, and you can keep any time parameters established by your family’s household rules and/or parental controls during the evening.

Start a Conversation

The best way to re-engage managing screen time for your kids is to start (or continue) an ongoing conversation around video games. Before even discussing parameters and limits, invite your kids to tell you what they love about games, which ones are their favorites, and why. This accomplishes two things:

1. It shows your kids that you respect their favorite hobby. You’re not looking to take something away. Rather, you’re trying to understand how they benefit from games and make it part of their life in a way that makes sense. There are so many positive elements kids can take away from playing games, and it’ll be helpful for you to understand which ones your kids enjoy most.
2. It gives you the opportunity to explain why there need to be screen time limits. Video games are fun and offer a lot beyond entertainment value. But – like all things – games should be part of an environment that also includes education, family time, in-person play, and more.

In terms of benefits, you may hear several from your kids and it’s helpful to have some background. One of our previous blogs, written by Dr. Rachel Kowert, highlights that kids who play video games can see enhanced creativity and happiness, as well as a reduction in depression and anxiety. There’s also a lot of “unintentional” learning, meaning new information and skills, that can occur simply by playing a game.

86% of parents set at least one parental control setting on their kids’ video game devices.

Social connection is another huge benefit for kids that play video games. A recent survey from Pew Research found that 72% of teens who play video games (aged 13-17) do so specifically to spend time with others, including with members of their family near or far.

This conversation will allow you to gain a holistic understanding of your kids’ video game experiences and reach a more mutually agreeable set of rules for the summer. Of course, you may want to preserve some wiggle room; after all, your kids deserve some downtime during their break from school to enjoy their favorite pastimes. Ultimately, it’s up to you as a parent to determine what works best for your family.

If you’re looking for some tips to help you set or modify your household rules, visit ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide.

Backing Up Your Rules

Household rules may not be made to be broken, but it happens sometimes… doesn’t it? Parents have told us that they trust their children to follow household rules, but it never hurts to have a little backup. This is where parental controls come into play.

Virtually every device that can play video games offers parental controls settings. This includes the ability to manage when your kids can play, and for how long. Some devices – like the Nintendo Switch – even has the option for you to set a schedule time parameters for every day of the week though the mobile app.

Same games, like Fortnite and Roblox even have in-game parental controls to add another layer of management.

If you have screen time controls activated your kids will receive an on-screen alert when game time is running low. This will let them know that it’s time to save their game, say goodbye to friends, and prepare to sign off. Some devices allow kids to ask for some more time. The request often goes directly to your mobile device or email – which you can accept or deny remotely. Once time is up the console or device will power down and remain unplayable until the next block of scheduled time.

In addition to setting screen time schedules, you can set parental controls to block games based on the ESRB-assigned age rating, manage online communication with other players, and limit (or block!) the amount of money your kids can spend on new games or in-game purchases. Visit PrentalTools.org for step-by-step parental controls guides that can walk you through the setup process. And remember, all of these are password or PIN protected, so make sure this is something your kids can’t guess!

Staying Involved

No matter what your household rules are, the best thing you can do to manage your kids’ video game experiences is to stay involved. Keeping the lines of communication open and honest is a great way to stay on top of your kids’ changing tastes in games and what they’re getting out of them. It doesn’t need to be a daily check in, but it can make for some fun dinner conversation as your kids walk you through their newest interactive adventure.

And who knows, maybe they’ll inspire you to join them for a video game session and make it a family activity.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post Managing Screen Time Over Summer Break appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

$70 and one trip to Toys“R”Us later, I was the proud owner of a red Game Boy Pocket. I know it’s corny to say, but that Game Boy changed my life. It also gave me a form of therapy. Prior to starting to play games, I couldn’t really wrap my hands around a pencil well enough to sign my name. My Game Boy acted as a first step in the therapy process that increased my dexterity and made it possible to learn basic fine-motor skills. But that wasn’t the end of how gaming helped me.

Over the next decade plus, gaming was both a hobby and a therapy for me. It gave me a touchpoint with non-disabled children to make friends, and it helped me through some of the toughest transitions of my childhood: moving countries, the death of a best friend, and many of the regular day-to-day things that make living with a disability challenging. Since then, I’ve turned my love for gaming into a full-time calling. The joke around my house is that for years, my parents were quite clear, “You will not spend the rest of your life playing video games.” Well, two college degrees, dozens of game credits on my resume, and hundreds of articles on gaming with a disability later, much to my parents’ amusement, I do spend most of my time playing and writing about games, and as an adult, gaming has broadened my horizons far beyond what that little boy who couldn’t reach the arcade cabinet would have thought possible.

Video Games Are for Everyone

Parents often reach out to me and ask, “Can my child with special needs game?” These days, anybody can enjoy video games. It’s just a matter of knowing what questions to ask and being aware of the options out there when it comes to making games accessible. Before I recommend any resources, the first thing I tell parents is that they shouldn’t be looking for an “accessible” game. They should be looking for a game that their child enjoys. Afterall, if a game gives a child enjoyment, it doesn’t matter if they’re actually able to beat it.

“He wants to try, and I want to help him.”

A perfect example of this in my own life are the early Assassin’s Creed games. I love the setting and the story, but the gameplay was a challenge for me. However, when the multiplayer mode in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood released, a whole new world of competitive entertainment opened up for me. This was not only a game mode I could enjoy, but a game mode that I could excel at against other able-bodied players. If I had simply been looking for the most accessible game, I would have missed out on these experiences, and missed out on one of my favorite multiplayer games ever created.

After that, the first thing that I always recommend is that, especially for younger kids, gaming should be a family activity. If you game with your child, you’ll have a much clearer understanding of what makes games difficult for them and what kind of games they enjoy. With this knowledge, you’ll have the inside track on understanding their needs and how to meet them. Rehabs are also a great place to start when it comes to video games. Most major children’s rehabs and children’s hospitals in the US have an assistive tech or adaptive recreation department, and many of them have actual adaptive gaming programs. In Minnesota, the program that I’ve worked with is connected with Gillette Children’s Hospital. These types of programs typically have video game systems available a few days a month for children with disabilities to come together under the supervision of parents and therapists to play games. If you’re worried about the financial commitment, this is where I would start. It will give you and your child the opportunity to experiment with which video game and video game systems are accessible without the burden of the initial financial expense.

Your Family’s Video Game Environment

Xbox Adaptive Controller

In order to make gaming as accessible as possible, having your own system is really best. No matter which hardware you choose, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, or PC, there are tons of ways to make your physical hardware accessible, although typically, I suggest that people start by looking at either the Xbox Adaptive Controller, the PlayStation Access Controller, or a completely custom solution built by the AbleGamers charity.

Once you have a system, it’s still pretty overwhelming. There are hundreds of games released each year and lots of opportunities to accidentally purchase a game you can’t play. That’s why I started my company, Can I Play That?, to review games so disabled players wouldn’t risk spending money on experiences they couldn’t enjoy. Since the mid 2000s, there has been a boom in game accessibility awareness, and there are mountains of resources to help individuals and families with disabilities to figure out what games they can play.

Both Can I Play That? and Game Accessibility Nexus provide wonderful resources for navigating this hobby. You should use these resources to research your options, and if possible, leverage the

PlayStation Access Controller

disabled gaming community on social media. The game accessibility community online is full of knowledgeable experts that are often very willing and excited to answer questions. Game developers too have gotten better at advertising the accessibility of games prior to launch. So if you’re able to do your research, finding games that your child can enjoy is a rewarding journey that is neither too complicated nor too time consuming.

More Than Just “A Game”

Even though helping your disabled child enjoy video games takes extra time and effort, it is beyond worth it. I could write another 1000 words on how gaming has improved my life both as a child and as an adult, but in brief, here are a few of the key benefits of gaming for children with disabilities.

First and foremost is community. Whether it’s split screen co-op or online multiplayer, video games are the ultimate meritocracy, where a child’s physical appearance does not affect how other people see them. I know in my own life, kids tended to treat me like I was an outsider until they saw the copy of Pokémon Yellow sticking out of the back of my Game Boy. Trading with kids on the playground or in my youth group gave me a reason to talk to others and gave me an easy avenue to making friends.

As I went through my junior high and teenage years, the biggest gift video games gave me was a sense of empowered independence. Once I was in the game’s world, I wasn’t just “the kid in the wheelchair”. I was master of my own destiny, whether that destiny was to save Princess Zelda or repel a Zerg invasion in StarCraft. Video games can never replace real world experience, but they can give disabled players a sense of accomplishment in ways they oftentimes can’t access outside of the digital world.

Even though helping your disabled child enjoy video games takes extra time and effort, it is beyond worth it.

Another benefit to this level of escapism was pain management. Whether it was the mental health challenges that came with managing my disability, or the physical pain of a therapy session, gaming provided me a wonderful distraction that dulled the pain and gave me something to focus on.

But, in my opinion, the biggest benefit of gaming for kids with disabilities is the potential career path that it will open for them later in life. As an advocate for increasing diversity in game development, as well as making games more accessible, I can say confidently that the games industry is the first industry in history that is uniquely suited to provide people with profound disabilities meaningful careers. The biggest barrier to most disabled young people getting jobs is access to the physical workspace. Game development itself is a discipline that can be done entirely remotely, making it easier for profoundly disabled young people to find exciting and fulfilling careers that compensate for their physical challenges. I encourage parents who are worried about career options for their special needs child to look at gaming not only as a hobby, but also at the various aspects of game development as a uniquely accessible and rewarding career path.

Happily, whether it’s accessible careers or the accessibility of games themselves, I can say with confidence that we are moving at full speed into a more accessible future for gaming. 15 years ago, a single colorblind filter would have been enough to cause a stir in the game industry, but today more and more developers are building robust accessibility options into their games. Even as the industry goes through turbulent times, many developers remain committed to accessibility, and you see more and more games with not only subtitles and closed captioning, but fully remappable controls, content filtering for people with phobias, and even support for external tech devices like screen readers. All this indicates that, to me at least, in the future, a disability won’t be a barrier to playing and enjoying games.

Joshua Straub is the Editor-in-Chief of Can I Play That? and the founder of AbilityPoints. Since 2012, he has been advocating for greater accessibility in games and easier access to employment for the disabled. He is a Ph.D. student in Human Factors and Ergonomics, and works as a consultant for game developers looking to make their games more accessible. He was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at age 1, and has used a wheelchair for mobility all his life.

The post Gaming Enabled: Helping Kids With Disabilities Enjoy Video Games appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

But what does this mean for you and your family? Find out how this new era of Fortnite is different and what you can do to help make sure your kids have a safe and fun experience while exploring everything Fortnite has to offer.

New Games

Epic released three new games in December 2023 that can be played within Fortnite:

1. LEGO Fortnite (Rated E10+) – LEGO Fortnite is a new survival crafting game from the long term partnership between Epic Games and The LEGO Group. In LEGO Fortnite, you explore vast, open worlds where the magic of LEGO building and Fortnite collide. Collect food and resources, craft items​, build shelter, and battle enemies with up to seven friends.
2. Rocket Racing (Rated E) – It’s possible that your kids may have played a game called Rocket League, which is (in its most basic form) soccer with cars. Only these cars can jump, boost, and fly to bash a gigantic ball into an even more gigantic net. Rocket Racing is developed by the same Epic-owned studio, Psyonix, behind Rocket League. Rocket Racing is an arcade racing game with the added mechanic of allowing players to “drift, fly, and boost” through tracks.
3. Fortnite Festival (Rated T) – This new game is most easily compared to Guitar Hero or Rock Band, and with good reason since it’s developed by Harmonix (the Epic-owned studio that worked on both of those franchises in the past). This rhythm game allows players to play through popular songs using button prompts on their controller or keyboard. Users can either play solo by picking a track (guitar, bass, drums, or vocals), or get their own band together and play through a set online.

Of course, Fortnite Battle Royale and Fortnite Save the World are still a huge part of Fortnite. You can find out more about those in our first Fortnite blog here.

In fact, your kids can bring most of the outfits and cosmetics purchased or earned in Battle Royale into these other games (providing they’re playing on the same account). So if your kids have ever dreamed of playing in a band made up of Superman, Kylo Ren, Spider-Man, and Lara Croft they’re in luck!

In addition to games made by Epic, there are thousands of other games built by other Fortnite creators. These creators use Fortnite Creative or Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) to build their own experiences in Fortnite and make them available for the community to play. These can range from simple mini-games to more in-depth experiences based on the creator’s vision, so there’s always something new to explore. Each of these games is reviewed by Epic Games and receives an ESRB rating assignment before publication. This means that after an initial review by automated tools, a human moderator reviews each game to ensure that it is appropriate for Fortnite’s audience and abides by Epic’s content rules. Note that creators must be at least 18 years old to join the Fortnite Island Creator and Engagement Programs to publish islands and be eligible to receive engagement payouts.

Are The New Games Appropriate for Kids?

Fortnite is rated T for Teen and has a new Content Descriptor that means Fortnite offers access to a variety of content for people of all ages. The descriptor is: Diverse Content: Discretion Advised, which means the game, app, or platform in question offers access to a variety of content.

All of the games and experiences (aka “Islands”) available within Fortnite also have ESRB-assigned age and content ratings, ranging from E for Everyone to a maximum rating of T for Teen. You can find the rating information below each game. Epic Games does not allow any content higher than a Teen rating in Fortnite.

Some content may not be appropriate for all ages, but parents and guardians can use Fortnite’s Parental Controls to set age-rating restrictions to block their children from playing content above a certain rating. For example, if you want your child to play LEGO Fortnite, which is rated E10+, but not Battle Royale, which is rated Teen – you can set it up so that they can only play the games that are rated E10+ and E. Parents can also unlock individual experiences and add them to an unlocked content list.

Meanwhile, all the Fortnite games you and your family are familiar with such as Battle Royale and Save the World, as well as new ones and player-made games, have their own ESRB rating assignments.

How Much Do New Games Cost?

All of the games and experiences created within Fortnite – whether they’re made by Epic Games or by others – can be played for free. LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival are all playable for free, just like Battle Royale, but each offers some form of in-game purchases.

For example, in Fortnite you can purchase a ‘Battle Pass’ which lets players earn various rewards as they level up. The Battle Pass works with all of the games inside Fortnite so players can make progress regardless of which game they’re playing within Fortnite. That said, none of this is a requirement and your family can enjoy these games without spending any money.

Set up Parental Controls

Make sure you have a family conversation to establish some household rules about video game play and make sure everyone understands the expectations. Many parents also like to back up their household rules with parental controls which are available on virtually all game devices, as well as within your kids’ Epic accounts. Every device (including computers, video game consoles, mobile devices, etc.) allows parents to manage their kids’ friends lists. Some even let you create a curated list of friends to ensure that your kids aren’t talking with people they do not know. And visit ESRB’s parental controls guide page for step-by-step instructions to help you set them up.

On top of device-level settings, Epic allows parents to add additional controls on their child’s account to set up the experience that’s right for their family. Epic’s Parental Controls allow you to manage purchasing settings so you can prevent unauthorized payments, and you can also use these controls to manage which games your kids can play, to select your voice and text chat settings, and more.

Fortnite players under the age of 18 are more protected from the start. For example, if a player indicates they’re under 18 years old, Fortnite voice chat defaults to “off.” If your child indicates they are under 13 years old, their account will automatically be classified as a “Cabined Account.” Cabined Accounts are essentially child accounts that allow younger players to play Fortnite, but they won’t be able to access certain features such as voice chat or real-money purchases until their parent provides consent. Since this kind of account is automatically set up for younger players based on the date of birth provided during account setup, this should be a reminder about why it’s important that your kids always enter their accurate age when signing up for a product or service!

If your child indicates they’re under 13 years old, they will be asked to provide a parent’s email address. Epic will then send an email to you letting you know about your child’s Epic account and provide you with the opportunity to provide permission to access certain features and set up parental controls that:

• Manage the games your kids can access in Fortnite based on ESRB ratings;
• Limit online chat (voice and/or text). You can choose to allow your child to speak with ‘Everybody,’ ‘Friends and Teammates,’ ‘Friends Only,’ or ‘Nobody;’
• Require a Parental Controls PIN to make purchases while using Epic Games payment;
• Require a Parental Controls PIN to send or accept Epic friend requests; and
• Track the amount of time your kids spend playing Fortnite every week

It’s important to speak to your child about the game’s safety features and why you are using Epic’s Parental Controls. You should also make sure they understand that Epic Games has clear Community Rules that apply to all users of Epic’s games including Fortnite, and online bullying is never acceptable. Epic encourages players to report anyone who is breaking the rules. Players can also submit audio evidence when they report other players for engaging in inappropriate behavior in voice chat. This helps Epic take action against players violating their Community Rules.

If your child indicates they are under 13 years old, their account will automatically be classified as a “Cabined Account.”

Stay Involved

Things can evolve quickly in the world of Fortnite, so it’s important to stay on top of everything that’s available to your kids. The best way to do this is simply to stay involved! While that’s obviously easier said than done, showing some interest and nurturing open lines of communication will make it easier. Check out ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide for simple tips and conversation starters to get the ball rolling.

And don’t forget: It never hurts to take a seat and share a Fortnite session with your kids! Doing so will keep those conversations going and help ensure that everyone has fun when playing games online.

The post A Parents’ Guide to Fortnite appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

Is Princess Peach: Showtime! Appropriate for Kids?

Princess Peach: Showtime! is rated E10+ for Everyone 10+, with a Content Descriptor for Fantasy Violence.

According to the ESRB Rating Summary, Peach uses specific fighting skills (such as swinging a magical ribbon, sword or lasso, and timing kung-fu kicks), to defeat puppet-like characters in combat. Some villains can shoot cartoony lasers or blasters at Peach. Combat is highlighted by stealth elements and brief slow-motion effects.

Where Can I Play Princess Peach: Showtime! and How Much Does it Cost?

It’s available for the Nintendo Switch, and costs $59.99.

What is Princess Peach: Showtime! About?

The adventure begins as Princess Peach sets out to attend a show at the Sparkle Theater. But before long, the evil Grape (joined by her henchmen, the Sour Bunch) suddenly hijacks the show. Peach must work with the theater’s guardian, Stella, to battle the Sour Bunch with stage play-themed powers.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is rated E10+ for Everyone 10+.

To do so, Stella gives Peach a magical hair ribbon that allows Peach to gain new costumes, each with their own unique abilities. Peach then ventures around the massive complex in an effort to master these powers, take down the Sour Bunch, and return the various theaters and shows to grateful patrons.

How Does Princess Peach: Showtime! Play?

This is a colorful action platformer – meaning lots of jumping across platforms, avoiding hazards, and battling (or avoiding) bad guys. Princess Peach has an array of abilities that change based on her costume. She cuts a dash as she transforms into a ninja, a sword fighter, a lasso-swinging cowgirl, a martial arts expert, and more to take down cartoon enemies.

But battling isn’t always the answer! Princess Peach: Showtime! will also see Peach become a wily detective, using her special magnifying glass to solve mysteries and puzzles. After the theft of cakes from a sugar festival, Peach also turns into a magical pastry chef, baking and decorating sumptuous treats.

Part of the fun is that Peach’s surroundings all match her outfits, in true stage play fashion. The stage for Cowgirl Peach features a western-themed aesthetic as she lassos her way to victory. Meanwhile, Swordfighter Peach fences her way through an environment that screams of The Three Musketeers. The same goes for every costume so you can expect more surprises and secrets along the way.

Like many games in the Mario universe, players will have plenty to collect and explore as they progress through the game. You and your kids may find that the straight path is relatively simple most of the time, but there are always hidden secrets and collectables (like coins and Sparkle Gems) to find for those interested in challenging themselves. Of course, these are optional, and younger players or those learning the ropes of an action platformer may be perfectly happy to act their way through the main objectives.

Set Your Kids Up To Be The Stars Of The Show!

There are plenty of tools and ways to help you set reasonable limits on your kids’ video game experiences as they prepare to help Princess Peach save the day.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to check the ESRB-assigned rating information to make sure it’s appropriate for your children. If possible, we also recommend that you try the game out before giving your kids permission to play, or learn more about the game via online streams and videos.

Additionally, Nintendo Switch has parental controls that allow you to manage what your kids play (based on the ESRB-assigned rating information), when and for how long, with whom, and whether they can spend money on new games or in-game purchases. You can find step-by-step parental control guides at ParentalTools.org.

If you’re looking for more tips about video games and online safety, visit ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide.

Colin Campbell is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The Economist, The Guardian, Polygon, IGN, Gamesindustry.biz and more.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Princess Peach: Showtime! appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

Take Inventory

If you’ve read our Safer Internet Day blogs in past years, a lot of this may sound familiar. But that doesn’t mean you should skip it! As your kids get older, they’ll naturally want to experience the internet differently. This is especially true as kids use video games and online platforms to socialize, as much as play. You may be finding that your kids want to build friendships by chatting on Discord, dropping into a Fortnite: Battle Royale session, or exploring what Roblox has to offer.

Nurturing an ongoing, judgement-free conversation with your kids about the games they are playing and friendships they are making helps you stay informed about what they’re doing online and why.  Coming across as judgmental or unaccepting of your kids’ love of video games discourages them from coming to you when they’re having trouble with something or somebody online out of fear that you’ll take them away!

It’s “safety first” of course!

Age and maturity play a big role in establishing appropriate online safety rules. Your 5th grader may not need or want as much access to playing games online. But jump to 6th grade and you may see your kid’s social circle regularly gather in a certain game or platform… and telling them they can’t means they’re cut off from their friends. Accordingly, you may feel more comfortable limiting your kids’ access to playing games online with strangers, and instead opting to only allow communications with people they know in real life (or even friends of friends). Checking in on a regular basis about the games they’re playing and with whom goes a long way to identifying potential issues and addressing them as a family.

Showing interest will also make it easier to reinforce household rules around online video game play, including with whom your kids can play, when and for how long they can play, and more.

Setting Appropriate Household Rules and Taking Advantage of Parental Controls

ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide provides actionable tips to help get started with managing your kids’ online communications. Once you and your family have established some household rules, visit ParentalTools.org for step-by-step parental controls guides. These include settings to manage with whom your kids can communicate online. In some cases, you can even curate your kids’ friends lists to make sure they’re only directly communicating with people they know in real life (if those are part of your rules). These guides can also give you a rundown of how to set up child accounts on their device(s) of choice. Child accounts often come with automated settings to help protect kids online, so it’s vital that when setting up a child account and registering a new device that an accurate age is entered for each child’s account.

Most game devices have parental controls that can help enforce household rules when you’re not around, like managing which games your kids can play based on the assigned ESRB age rating, when and for how long they can play, and whether they can spend real money on new games and/or in-game purchases.

Sharing is (Not Always) Caring

One of the most important things to discuss with your kids is what they can and cannot share with others when playing games online. This may not be an issue for kids that are only allowed to communicate with friends, family and classmates when playing online, but regardless of age they should always know what personal information they should keep to themselves no matter what, such as:

• Their real name
• Where/when they were born
• Their location (state, town, street name, etc.)
• Where they go to school
• Anything else that can be traced directly to them

As innocent and normal it is to share personal stories or details about your life with new friends, people can sometimes guess passwords and usernames or other personal information based on what is shared. Here again, it’s critical that child accounts are set up with an accurate age, as federal and state laws limit the amount of personal data a game or service can collect without your consent!

ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide also includes helpful tips about protecting your kids’ online privacy here.

Manners Matter

It may go without saying, but your kids’ online presence is a reflection of their in-person presence. And just like in real life it’s important to impress upon kids that if they don’t have anything nice to say, then saying nothing is usually a better option.

While your kids will probably heed this advice, not everyone does! If your kids ever encounter someone that is behaving inappropriately, there are several measures your kids can take to make sure they don’t encounter that individual in the future. First and foremost, virtually every console, platform, and service that enables people to communicate has mute and block features. Activating mute will allow your kids to continue playing, but without commentary ruining the fun. Blocking a player will prevent any contact.

It’s critical that child accounts are set up with an accurate age!

For particularly offensive people your kids can also report bad actors to whomever manages the community, be it a platform or video game publisher. Companies have community guidelines which dictate what is and what is not permitted. If a player violates community guidelines and is reported, the publisher or platform holder in question can take various measures to prevent that player from continuing to negatively impact other players’ experiences. Depending on the company and the severity of the situation, this may be a warning, a suspension, or a permanent ban.

Think Outside the Game

The measures you and your family take to build safer video game experiences can easily translate to the internet as a whole (and maybe even real life). Our lives are increasingly more connected, and this can be doubly true for children – especially after so many experienced full-time remote school during the pandemic. Many of the tips we’ve discussed in this blog about video games can be applied to other types of online activity. Platforms like YouTube, Discord, and Twitch all enable users to communicate with others and offer settings to help you manage how your kids communicate. Meanwhile, social media platforms are frequently updating and expanding tools to help parents manage how their kids share and see.

The key is this: Stay involved! You know what’s best for your kids, and the simplest way to keep up is to manage internet safety as a team.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post Put Safety First this Safer Internet Day appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

E (Everyone)

47% of all ratings assigned to physical and console downloadable games in 2023 were E for Everyone. This shows that there are nearly two thousand new video game options that may be appropriate for your whole family!

E10+ (Everyone 10+)

In 2023, Everyone 10+ was assigned 17% of the time, which is identical to 2022. This means that more than 60% of the new games released throughout the year may be appropriate for your 10-year-old!

T (Teen 13+)

23% of ratings assigned were for T for Teen last year – a slight increase from 2022. Combined with E and E10+, almost 9 out of 10 ratings assigned to physical and console downloadable games released in 2023 are appropriate for your teenager.

M (Mature 17+)

As is the same every year, M for Mature was assigned the least frequently in 2023, with 13% of rating assignments (up 1% from 2022).

No one knows your kids better than you!

Rating Categories are a great first step to understanding what’s in a game before buying or downloading it for your kids. But like most things in life, context matters! Fortunately, ESRB provides even more information to help you decide what’s appropriate for your family at a glance. ESRB also assigns Content Descriptors to indicate why a game was assigned a specific rating and/or what parents might want to know about. This includes terms and phrases to let you know if a game includes content like language, crude humor, violence, and more. ESRB also assigns Interactive Elements, which let you know if a game includes features like the ability to communicate with others online or offers to make in-game purchases. And if you still want more information, you can also consult our rating summaries, which are available for all physical games by title search on our website and mobile app.

Beyond the ratings, there are so many other resources at your disposal to help manage your kids’ video game experiences. In fact, parents say picking up the controller, checking the ratings, and talking with other parents are the most popular ways to help determine if a game is OK for their kids to play.

Remember: No one knows your kids better than you! Sometimes a younger child may be ready for a T-rated game, and other times a 14-year-old may need some more time. ESRB is here to help provide you with tips to help you make (and back up!) those decisions while maintaining some peace of mind. For more information on what you can do to keep you kids’ video game experiences positive, visit our Family Gaming Guide – a comprehensive, user-friendly guide that provides tips for picking appropriate games, managing online communications, establishing household rules, setting up child accounts and parental controls, and more!

The post E for Everyone Was the Most-Assigned Age Rating in 2023 appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

But what will your kids find as they run, fly, and adventure their way through this new game? Fortunately, we have you covered with everything you need to know to decide if Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is appropriate for your family.

Is Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Appropriate for Kids?

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is rated T for Teen, meaning it’s suitable for players ages 13 and up. Content Descriptors include Language, Mild Blood, and Violence. The game’s rating information also includes two Interactive Elements, Users Interact and In-Game Purchases. This means that players can interact with one another through co-operative online play, and in-game purchases are also available.

It’s a first-person shooter/action-adventure game in which players assume the role of a Na’vi alien engaged in resistance against a colonizing force. Players engage in frenetic combat, using arrows, explosives, and machine guns to attack enemies such as soldiers, drones, and mechs. A handful of areas allow players to use stealth tactics to infiltrate bases and attack soldiers.

According to the ESRB Rating Summary, firefights are highlighted by realistic gunfire, cries of pain, and explosions. One scene depicts blood smeared/splattered on a cliff near the corpses of soldiers. The words “sh*t” and “a*shole” appear in the game.

Where Can I Play Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and How Much Does it Cost?

It’s available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S and costs $69.99 for the standard edition, which includes the full game either digitally or physically. There is also a digital only “Gold Edition” which costs $109.99, and includes the full game and the season pass. The season pass provides access to two story packs that will be released at a later date, and some additional bonus content. Additionally, there is an “Ultimate Edition” for $129.99, which includes everything in the Gold Edition and access to in-game cosmetic items and a digital artbook.

As mentioned, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora may also offer the ability to purchase in-game items, bonuses, and/or currencies using real money. Remember to set parental controls to make sure your kids know how much money they can spend, if any!

What is Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora About?

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an action, adventure, and exploration game set on a beautiful alien planet, filled with extraordinary creatures. It’s the story of a young Na’vi who has escapes the clutches of the Resources Development Administration (RDA) – a colonizing human organization aiming to plunder Pandora for the planet’s rich resources. Following the player character’s escape, they are tasked with learning to reintegrate with the peaceful Na’vi.

Remember to set parental controls!

The player will join their fellow Na’vi as they are forced to defend their home from the RDA. The human invaders must be repelled through a series of missions and fights, in which the player makes use of Na’vi and human weaponry, tools, flying mounts, and vehicles.

How Does Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora play?

During combat sequences, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person shooting game. The player takes the main character’s point of view, as they encounter enemies who must be fought using a wide variety of weapons. These include quiet but powerful Na’vi bows, which are useful for stealthy players, as well as noisy human rocket launchers, which can take out heavy fortifications.

The story parts of the game include training, exploration, and other (sometime optional) quests to further benefit the Na’vi. As the player progresses through the game, they will make friends, learn more about the Na’vi, and augments their skills, such as riding flying mounts, and crafting tools and weapons. As the player grows, so will their options for approaching exploration, combat, story segments, and more. Ultimately, it will be up to you and your family to decide how to overcome obstacles and protect the Na’vi.

But remember, just exploring Pandora’s beauty and varied wildlife is a big part of what makes this expansive open-world game so enjoyable, leading to unexpected in-game scenarios!

Prepare Your Kids for Adventure

There are plenty of tools and ways to help you set reasonable limits on your kids’ video game experiences as they prepare to defend Pandora.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to check the ESRB-assigned rating information to make sure it’s appropriate for your children. If possible, we also recommend that you try the game out before giving your kids permission to play, or learn more about the game via online streams and videos.

Additionally, virtually every video game device has parental controls that allow you to manage what your kids play (based on the ESRB-assigned rating information), when and for how long, with whom, and whether they can spend money on new games or in-game purchases. You can find step-by-step parental control guides at ParentalTools.org.

If you’re looking for more tips about video games and online safety, visit ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide.

Colin Campbell is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The Economist, The Guardian, Polygon, IGN, Gamesindustry.biz and more.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

With the new ESRB Mobile App, parents can:

Search for ESRB-Assigned Rating Information

Video games are a huge attraction for kids of all ages! Now more than ever, it’s important that parents can access rating information quickly and with ease! The ESRB Mobile App continues to allow parents to search for age and content ratings assigned to physical video games. This includes Rating Categories, Content Descriptors, Interactive Elements, and Rating Summaries (if assigned).

Start a Conversation with ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide

The best way for parents to manage their kids’ video game experiences is to stay involved. To help, ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide is now available on the ESRB Mobile App. The Family Gaming Guide provides easy access to information that can help start an open-ended, judgement-free family conversation about video games.

But a conversation is just the first step! The Family Gaming Guide also outlines simple tips so parents can establish household rules around managing screen time, online communications, and more. Perhaps most importantly, the resources found in the Family Gaming Guide will help parents get some peace of mind knowing their kids are set up for fun and age-appropriate video game experiences.

Find Step-By-Step Parental Controls Guides

It’s always a good idea to back up household rules by setting parental controls. The ESRB Mobile App makes accessing ESRB’s free step-by-step parental controls guides quicker than ever.

From consoles and computers to smartphones and tablets, every video game device offers parental controls. These help parents and caregivers manage what their kids play, when and for how long, with whom, and how much (if any) money they can spend on in-game purchases.

Read the ESRB Blog

Sometimes it’s helpful to have a little more information about specific video games, services (like Discord and Twitch), and devices (like a new video game console). The ESRB Mobile App includes direct access to the ESRB Blog, which is regularly updated with new information on new and long-running games, tips to manage online play, and other useful information to help parents stay involved with their kids’ video game experiences.

More to Come!

We’ll continue to add more features and resources to the ESRB Mobile App in the future. Make sure you visit the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store and download the app so you can stay up to date on the latest insights to help keep your kids’ video game experiences appropriate, wherever you are.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

The post Welcome to the New and Improved ESRB Mobile App appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

Microsoft’s Xbox Series X|S

Microsoft offers not one, but two consoles: The Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. They both play the same games but there are a few notable differences that may help you decide which is a better fit for your children.

• Xbox Series X – The Xbox Series X is the fastest and most powerful Xbox ever. The Series X loads the latest high-res games with speed. Additionally, the Series X can play games via disks or download.
  • The Xbox Series X starts at $499
• Xbox Series S – Xbox Series S is similar to the Series X, although it has 1440p resolution as opposed to the Series X’s 4K. While it can play all the same games, it’s important to note that the Xbox Series S is an all-digital console, which means it does not play disc-based games, only downloads.
  • The Xbox Series S starts at $299

As mentioned, you can play the same games on both consoles, as well as many games from the original Xbox, the Xbox 360, and the Xbox One. That’s about 20 years of video games to choose from! Some Xbox games that may be on your children’s list, with their ESRB age rating noted, include:

• Forza Motorsport – Everyone
• Sonic Superstars – Everyone
• Hi-Fi RUSH – Teen
• Minecraft Legends – Everyone 10+
• Minecraft – Everyone 10+

A few of the exclusive game franchises you’ll find on the Xbox and/or Windows PC and nowhere else include Halo (Teen to Mature 17+), Starfield (Mature 17+), Age of Empires (Teen), Microsoft Flight Simulator (Everyone), and more. Additionally, Xbox users can subscribe to Xbox Game Pass (also available for PC) ) starting at $9.99/mo. for one console or PC, or $16.99/mo. for both console and PC, which provides hundreds of games at any given time..

Xbox parental controls can be set on the device, through the Xbox Family Settings app (Android and iOS), or the Microsoft Family website:

• Content & Age limits:  Set age level for ESRB rating for games on Xbox consoles for each child (via app, console, and website)
• Screen time limits:  Create screen time schedules for each child. Customize each day of the week with different ranges and what fits best for your household schedule (via app and website)
• Manage Friends:  See each friend your child is following, allow them to ‘Ask a parent’ to add a friend, or you can remove friends who your child is following. (Via app and console)
• Manage Spending:  Add money to your child’s account and enable the ‘Ask to Buy’ feature when they want to purchase a game, app, or in-game purchase. View your child’s account balance and spending history (via console and website)

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch system can play games both on the TV at home and on a handheld anywhere. There are currently three variations of the Nintendo Switch console.

• Nintendo Switch – This is the standard Nintendo Switch, giving your kids the ability to play their games both on the TV using a “dock” and in handheld mode with the system’s built-in screen.
  • The Nintendo Switch starts at $299
• Nintendo Switch – OLED Model – While it’s largely the same as the original Nintendo Switch, it boasts a larger OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen. This sounds complicated, but what it really means is that the colors are more vivid, with crisp contrast when you play on-the-go. It also has some other improvements (enhanced kickstand for tabletop play and a new dock with integrated LAN port, etc.), but the new screen is certainly the main draw here.
  • The Nintendo Switch – OLED Model starts at $349
• Nintendo Switch Lite – This is a handheld-only console. While it still plays nearly all the same games you’ll find on the original Nintendo Switch and the OLED Model, you cannot connect it to your TV.
  • The Nintendo Switch Lite starts at $199

Some Switch games that may interest your kids are:

• Super Mario RPG – Everyone
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Everyone
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Everyone 10+
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet – Everyone
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Everyone

A few of the exclusive game franchises you’ll find on the Switch and/or other Nintendo devices and nowhere else include The Legend of Zelda (Everyone to Teen), Super Mario (Everyone to Everyone 10+), Super Smash Bros. (Everyone 10+ to Teen), Pokémon (Everyone to Everyone 10+), and more.  Additionally, Nintendo users can subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online for as little as $3.99/mo. and have access to over one hundred classics from Nintendo’s back catalogue.

Parental controls can be set on the device itself, through the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app (Android and iOS), and your Nintendo Account allowing you to manage:

• Which games your kids can play based on the ESRB age rating (via console and app)
• When and for how long (via app)
• Whether communication can occur
• If they can spend money on in-game purchases (via Nintendo Account)

PlayStation 5

Sony’s newest console – the PlayStation 5 – offers a leap in power from its predecessor. There are two slightly different options available if the PlayStation 5 is on your kids’ wish list for this year.

• PlayStation 5 (2023 refresh) – This console, released with an updated design in November 2023, plays all the new games, as well as PlayStation 4 games, via either disks or digital download. Note that the older model may still available in some stores for the same price, but will be phased out in favor of this newer, slimmer design.
  • The PlayStation 5 starts at $499
• PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (2023 refresh) – The hardware capabilities are identical to the standard PlayStation 5 – meaning all the games will look and play the same as the console with a disk drive. The core difference is that this is a download only console, so you and your family will have to download games online via the PlayStation Store. That said, the refreshed model, launched in November 2023, has the ability to add a disk drive at a later date if you change your mind. This disk drive can be purchased separately for $79.99.
  • The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition starts at $449

Both consoles also play an overwhelming majority of the back catalogue of games from the PlayStation 4.  Some PlayStation games that may catch your kids’ eyes are:

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – Teen
• Hogwarts Legacy – Teen
• HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 – Turbocharged – Everyone
• Horizon Forbidden West – Teen
• Sackboy: A Big Adventure – Everyone

A few of the exclusive game franchises you’ll find on the PlayStation and (in some cases) on PC and nowhere else include Gran Turismo (Everyone), Ratchet & Clank (Everyone 10+ to Teen), The Last of Us (Mature 17+), Final Fantasy XVI (Mature), Uncharted (Teen), God of War (Mature 17+), and more. PlayStation users can also subscribe to PlayStation Plus, a tiered subscription service. You can choose from PlayStation Plus Essential (starts at $9.99/mo.), PlayStation Plus Extra (starts at 14.99/mo.), and PlayStation Plus Premium (starts at 17.99/mo.). Each tier has its own perks, with the highest tier including hundreds of video games to choose from.

PlayStation parental controls can be set on the device itself or through a browser-based portal on a computer or mobile device to manage:

• Which games your kids can play based on the ESRB age rating
• When and for how long
• With whom
• How much money (if any!) they can spend on in-game purchases

More Tips

Shopping for video game consoles is just the first step! There are dozens of great video game options for every family, but here are a few more tips for the holidays season, especially as the shopping competition heats up.

• Check the Ratings – Make sure you always check the ratings before you buy to make sure a video game is appropriate for your family. You can find ratings on:
  • ESRB.org
  • On the front and back of video game boxes in stores
  • On many retail websites (such as Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart)
  • On product detail pages on digital storefronts
  • In advertisements
  • Via the ESRB Rating Search App for iOS and Android.
• Update The Console – If you have time, it’s helpful to update the firmware for a console before you give it to your kids! Just like your phone, consoles receive regular updates that add new functionality, address bugs, update features, and more. While it’s very simple to do, it may not be the most fun first experience for your kids to wait for their new console to update before diving into a game. If there’s time, open the console, connect it to your internet (Wi-Fi or wired) and follow the prompts to update the console. This may also be a good opportunity to create child accounts for your children and activate parental controls. You can find more information about that below.
• Set Parental Controls – As mentioned above, every video game device has parental controls built in to help you manage what your kids play (based on the ESRB age rating), when they can play, for how long, with whom, and whether they can spend money on in-game purchases and new game downloads. However, each console’s settings have their own unique options and features, so be sure to explore how your new console can help you keep video games a positive experience for your family. If there’s time, hook up the console and set parental controls before you give your kids the new console. This way everything is set as soon as they unwrap their gifts. Visit ParentalTools.org for step-by-step parental controls guides.

Make sure you always check the ratings before you buy to make sure a video game is appropriate for your family.

• Visit the Family Gaming Guide – Our user-friendly guide has tips to help you manage your kids’ video game experiences. The Family Gaming Guide explores picking appropriate games, managing screen time, establishing household rules, keeping your kids’ personal information safe, and more! Check out the guide to maintain some peace of him around your kids’ video game experiences.
• Review the Online Safety Principles that Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox share to  help ensure  the safety of their players, especially those most vulnerable.  Those principles include:
  • Prevention: Empower players and parents to understand and control gaming experiences
  • Partnership: Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox commit to partnering with industry, regulators, law enforcement, and their communities to advance user safety
  • Responsibility: Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox hold themselves accountable for making their platforms as safe as possible for all players.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified, an FTC-sanctioned COPPA Safe Harbor Privacy seal certification program.

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