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.

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.

Tyler Jones, who began using Discord when he was 15, sums up the platform’s appeal to teens and young adults this way: “It’s fast, it’s reliable, it’s easy to use, and it offers so many features, like video calling, screen sharing and presenting, and customizations, that other sites don’t have for free.”

More than anything, Discord helps facilitate socialization among peers, especially in times when it’d be otherwise impossible to do so in-person.

“I’ve known a lot of young adults my age struggle socially, especially in a time like now, and have found Discord as a comforting place to make friends and keep up with them,” Jones said.

If you’re intrigued about Discord, the following will help you learn the basics about Discord, including how you can make sure your kids stay safe while navigating the platform.

What is Discord?

Discord is a free communications platform that lets users text, talk, video chat, and share screens with one another. It was initially used largely by gamers, but it’s since spread to other groups thanks to its ease-of-use and wide variety of useful functions, including to host book clubs, knitting groups, sewing circles, and all manner of gatherings, both personal and professional.

How is Discord Different from Other Social Media Platforms?

One of Discord’s biggest differentiators is that it has no ads. Discord also says it does not sell user data or share its data with third parties for advertising purposes, although it does offer a subscription that offers users various enhancements to the Discord experience.  And unlike many social media platforms, there’s no news feed.

Users can also engage with either public or private spaces. As implied by the name, the public servers (communities organized around a specific topic or group) are accessible to anyone, meaning whatever your kids post can be seen by anyone that happens across that space. Meanwhile, private servers are only accessible to approved users, giving your kids the opportunity to set up their own servers for people they know, or joining their friends’ servers.

This makes Discord a more personally curated platform.

Discord’s Vocabulary

Discord can be tricky for the uninitiated. Thankfully, there’s a glossary, as well as numerous beginner’s guides, including an official guide from Discord, an unofficial guide from PCWorld, and a manual put together by M.I.T. students on how to use Discord to collaborate with classmates on projects.

Some terms you may hear are:

• Server: Spaces where users can gather and communicate. Servers can be started by communities and friend groups and can be either public (meaning anyone can join) or invitation only. Any user can start a new server for free.
• Channel: Servers are organized into text and voice channels through which users can communicate. These are usually more limited in scope and dedicated to specific topics.
• DMs: Short for “direct message”. These are private messages (via text, voice, or video) sent directly from one user to another.
• GDMs: This is short for “group direct message”. While direct messages are between two people, users can invite others to a private conversation of up to 10 people. Users cannot join a conversation unless they are invited.

Users can also engage with either public or private spaces.

Can Children Use Discord?

Discord’s Terms of Service states that only users who are 13 years or older may use its service in the U.S. That said, there are children under 13 who use Discord. The company has said it is developing a “gate” that asks users to self-report their date of birth upon creating an account. If a user is reported as being under 13, Discord will lock the user out of their account until they can verify their age with an official ID.

Make sure your kids know to never lie about their age on Discord or any other platform!

Can Strangers Interact With My Children on Discord?

It depends on your child’s account settings. When your kids join a server, others in that server can send them direct messages. You can, however, disable this feature in the account settings under the Privacy & Safety tab (see more details below). You can also select who can send your child a friend request, for example, you can choose everyone, friends of friends, or only other server members.

Discord recommends that users accept friend invites only from people they know. Keep in mind that users do not have to use their real names on Discord, so it may take one extra step to confirm who’s sending an invite. There’s also an option to scan messages and delete those that have explicit content. Should your kids ever encounter someone behaving inappropriately, Discord allows you to block the person in question, which prevents them from sending your kids direct messages and hides their messages in any shared servers. You can also create an invite-only server and invite only people you or your children know personally.

How Can I Help Ensure My Kids Use Discord Safely?

Discord’s Family Center helps parents monitor how their kids use the platform. Using the Family Center will help you gain insight into your kids’ activity on the platform, but it will not provide a transcript of your kids’ conversations with others. Rather, the goal is to help you understand how your kids use Discord and to nurture an open-ended dialogue on appropriate/safe online behavior. As such, this is an opt-in tool, meaning both you and your kids must agree to be part of it.

You can also select who can send your child a friend request

To sign up for the Family Center your kids need to first share a QR code with you to begin the process. Once you scan that code, your child(ren) will be prompted to accept the connection and the Family Center will begin recording and reporting information. Discord notes that the Family Center will not include a “complete archive of activity” and will only populate activity occurring after your kids have opted into the program. To be clear, your child(ren) must invite you to use the tool. Without their invite there is no way to activate the Family Center.

Parents that are connected to the Family Center will be able to see when their kids add new friends, join and/or participate in new servers, and who they message or call in direct or group chats. All this information is accessible at any time via the Discord app. You can also receive weekly activity reports via email that highlight whom your kids have messaged and/or called, how many new friends they have (and who they are), the servers they’ve joined, and more.

As mentioned above, Discord also has safety and privacy settings to help manage what is visible to other users and how they can engage. The chart below highlights many of these features, as well as how you can activate them:

It’s important to remember that anyone with access to a Discord account login can change the settings at any time, including your kids. However, Discord emphasizes in its safety FAQ that it will not share user login details with parents who request access to their kids’ accounts. So, you’ll have to get access from your kids directly.

For additional information on the Family Center, safety settings, privacy, and more you can visit Discord’s Parent Hub.

Is There Inappropriate Content on Discord?

As with any social media platform with user-generated and contributed content, Discord can contain content that’s inappropriate for kids. The platform’s community guidelines require that servers with adult content include an “age-restricted” label.

More recently, Discord has updated its community guidelines to also prohibit harmful misinformation and in some cases examine off-platform behavior when assessing if a user has violated the guidelines. According to Discord, this is part of an ongoing effort to make sure the platform stays safe for its users.

It’s great when companies and platforms take steps to ensure the safety of their users, but there’s no substitute for having a conversation with your kids about what to do when they spot inappropriate content. You can do this not only when they use Discord, but when they interact with other social media platforms as well.

Discord provides training materials for its users on how to moderate communities, while also spending resources to monitor and enforce compliance with its guidelines across the platform. In fact, every six months, it releases a Transparency Report highlighting how many users were reported for community guidelines violations, why the reports were submitted (harassment, spam, cybercrime, graphic content, etc.), the actions taken by the trust and safety team, and more.

Discord provides training materials for its users on how to moderate communities, while also spending resources to monitor and enforce compliance with its guidelines across the platform. In fact, every six months, it releases a Transparency Report highlighting how many users were reported for community guidelines violations, why the reports were submitted (harassment, spam, cybercrime, graphic content, etc.), the actions taken by the trust and safety team, and more.

What Else Can Parents Do to Monitor What Their Kids Are Doing on Discord?

As with all social media and online game platforms, parents should nurture an ongoing, open conversation with each of their kids about their use of those platforms. Showing interest by regularly checking in and asking them to share what they’re doing on Discord in a non-judgmental way is a not only a great way to understand how the platform works and how your kids are using it, but also ascertain any potential risks.

For more information and tips about how you can help protect your kids’ personal information visit our Family Gaming Guide.

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 What Parents Need to Know About Discord appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

What is Minecraft Legends?

Minecraft Legends is set in a colorful landscape that will be familiar to anyone who has played or seen the original Minecraft. Minecraft Legends is about mining for resources and building structures, but it’s also about using smart strategies to fight armies of enemies and defend bases in an adventure story.

The story sees hordes of enemy Piglins – blocky Orc-like creatures who generally live in an underground world called the Nether – invading Minecraft’s lush and bountiful Overworld. The Piglins are intent on plundering and ruling this beautiful land, and the main character is charged with defending the Overworld and retaliating against the Piglins.

How does Minecraft Legends play?

Your character is a warrior who rides one of a variety of mounts through different Minecraft-generated biomes, including a pretty jungle, and arid badlands. As you explore, you gather allies. These are often animals or creatures, aka “mobs.” To earn allies you ride up to them, and wave a magical banner. The critters then follow the player around, effectively creating an army.

You can also send magical fairies to gather resources like wood from trees, which can be used to build useful structures. These include “spawners” which manufacture more powerful helpers and followers. These include traditional Minecraft baddies, like Creepers, who are now allied with you against the Piglins.

When you arrive at a Piglin base, you should have gathered an army that’s made up of a good collection of fighters. Different kinds of mobs have different strengths and weaknesses, so mustering a correctly balanced army is a central winning strategy.

During the ensuing battle, you direct a beam of light (known as the Banner of Courage) at locations where you want your fighters to focus their attention. Just like mobs, Piglins come in different shapes and sizes, and some are far more difficult to beat than others.

Just like any good general, you try to focus your army’s attention on the most dangerous enemies. During battles, you can also build structures, like towers, that help your army take control of the enemy base.

The Piglins have built a great variety of fortresses across the Overland, so it’s up to the player to figure out each one’s weaknesses by wisely spending available resources, amassing the right mix of allies that will take down their increasingly formidable defenses, and planning attacks that will take advantage of enemy weaknesses.

Does Minecraft Legends have an Online Multiplayer Option?

Yes. Players can work together in teams of four to take down the Piglins. Or you can join one of two teams, made up of up to four players on each side, to build your own bases and try to destroy the other team. Make sure you set parental controls on your kids’ devices to manage your child’s online communications, including with whom your kids can chat while playing online. Of course, you can always block communication entirely!

Is Minecraft Legends Appropriate for Children?

Minecraft Legends is rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) by ESRB, with a Content Descriptor for Fantasy Violence and Interactive Elements including Users Interact and In-Game Purchases.

The story is heavily inspired by classic fairy tales and children’s stories. It features familiar tropes such as a magic lute that summons reinforcements, a banner that instills courage in fellow warriors, and an eternal flame that attracts new helpers to the cause of freedom.

Sympathetic characters are cute and friendly, while the hog-like Piglins are faintly comedic, although their strongholds have a demonic quality like pillars of fire, ominous artifacts, and cackling villains. The combat can be noisy and frenetic, but defeated Piglins disappear from the screen without evidence of wounds or fallen bodies.

Players use swords, arrows, and fire to defeat pixelated enemies. Battles are accompanied by cries of pain and small explosions. One cutscene depicts a villain throwing/shooting fiery arrows at a bunny and other unarmed characters.

ESRB’s Rating Summary for Minecraft Legends provides more details that may be important to consider as you decide if Minecraft Legends is appropriate for your family.

Where Can I Play Minecraft Legends?

Minecraft Legends is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Players use swords, arrows, and fire to defeat pixelated enemies.

How Much Does Minecraft Legends Cost?

Minecraft Legends costs $39.99 on all platforms, or $49.99 for the Deluxe Edition, which comes with extra cosmetic skins for player characters to wear. Skins and cosmetics will also be available through in-game purchases.

Staying Involved with Your Kids’ Playing

As always, understanding the games your children are playing is key to making sure they have appropriate experiences.

Checking ratings, researching online, or watching your children play for a while is not only a great way to stay informed, but also helps nurture a judgment-free environment around something they love. You may even want to pick up the controller and play the game yourself. Playing immersive strategy games with family and friends can be a great opportunity to connect and enjoy each other’s company.

Video game devices, such as consoles, PCs, and smartphones, offer parental controls that help you manage what your kids play, when and for how long, with whom, and whether they can spend money on new games or in-game purchases. Some video game storefronts, like Steam and the Epic Games Store, include parental controls as well. You can find step-by-step parental controls guides at ParentalTools.org.

While you’re there, visit ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide for more tips about how you can help to ensure positive video game experiences for your kids.

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 Minecraft Legends appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

Odds are your teen is among the millions logging in to play with their friends, but it can be challenging to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of a popular game. Read on for everything you need to know about Apex Legends.

What is Apex Legends?

Apex Legends is a first-person, online multiplayer game published by Electronic Arts and developed by Respawn Entertainment. Set on a distant planet in the aftermath of a galactic war, players take on the role of a characters fighting in huge gladiatorial games for the entertainment of unseen settlers. Players engage in team battles across a variety of locations while searching for supplies and weapons, including machine guns, rifles, and explosives. The map area decreases over time, forcing teams closer and closer to each other, until only one team remains.

Players in the core game form teams of three, made up of pre-designed characters, A.K.A Legends. Legends each have their own personalities, abilities, skills, and boosts – making them feel like fully fleshed out characters. For example, Octane is a young daredevil who got into an accident and now has bionic legs. As a result, he moves and heals quickly. However, if the Octane moves too far from supporting teammates these advantages are offset. All of the Legends have unique hooks that change the gameplay and allow a team to work strategically.

Teams can comprise groups of friends who want to play together, or individual players can choose to be randomly assigned to online squads. Up to 20 teams battle one another in a variety of maps that include towering mountains, cityscapes, industrial installations, and abandoned settlements, each of which includes roaming alien wildlife.

Apex Legends has quickly grown into a spectator sport of sorts, providing visual and audible entertainment through gameplay as well as in-game characters’ antics and quips. Over the past three years, Apex Legends has added a host of new play modes, maps, and characters, with more every few months.

Is Apex Legends Appropriate for Kids?

Apex Legends is rated T (Teen 13+) with Content Descriptors for Blood and Violence and Interactive Elements that include Users Interact (meaning players can communicate online if they choose) and In-Game Purchases (meaning the game offers the ability to exchange real-world currency for in-game currency or items).

Many parents may be interested in the fact that Apex Legends is a first-person, team-based shooter, however the visuals are highly stylized, giving it a futuristic and unrealistic vibe. The Rating Summary for Apex Legends goes on to say, “Frenetic firefights are accompanied by blood-splatter effects, realistic gunfire, and large explosions. Players can also perform various finishing moves on weakened enemies (e.g., stabbing them with a knife; beating opponents down with fists; electrocuting characters). These attacks are often depicted close-up and/or from the victim’s perspective.”

Playing Apex Legends Online

Like many battle royale games, Apex Legends is played online with others. Players can either team up with friends to battle it out or sign on individually and get grouped with random teammates. Unlike similar team-based games, Apex Legends does not require direct person-to-person communication via voice chat to make a team effective, although it always remains an option. Instead, players can use the “Ping system,” an entirely unique mode of communication.

Players can use the Ping system to communicate without speaking to one another directly. Using specific button presses, players can ping their teammates with visual icons that communicate directions, weapon locations, enemies, and more. Experienced players use pings to engage in whole conversations that allow teams to work together against enemies.

Many parents share reservations about their kids communicating openly online. The Ping system solves that issue by allowing players to collaborate in a proactive manner, without potentially inappropriate interactions with others.

Where Can I Play Apex Legends?

The game is available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, as well as mobile platforms Android and iOS. Apex Legends is cross-play enabled for PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox, meaning that players who own different devices can play with one another.

How Much Does Apex Legends Cost?

Apex Legends is free but, like many free-to-play games, it offers cosmetic items for purchase. These include weapons, decorations (aka “skins”), as well as outfits, short victory animations, emotes and quips for specific characters.

In some cases, these cosmetics can be unlocked through free gameplay, but some individual items can only be obtained through the game’s online store. They are purchased using Apex Coins, which are tokens that can be purchased with real money. Players can also buy Apex Packs and Battle Passes.

Apex Packs are loot boxes that yield random cosmetics and other goodies. They come in different tiers, with the more expensive packs more likely to yield high value in-game items.

Battle Passes are released for purchase roughly every three months, often with a new Season, in which new maps, modes, characters, and cosmetics are introduced. The Battle Pass gives players new goodies right off the bat and allows them to unlock new progress paths. This includes opportunities to earn extra items as your kids achieve various challenges. Players who do not buy the Battle Pass can also earn cosmetics, but are blocked from earning certain items.

It’s important to remember that cosmetic items don’t impact the actual gameplay. There is no “pay-to-win” in Apex Legends. They are there for players who like to individualize their character, and to show other players their level of progression.

Parental Controls

Virtually all video game devices include parental controls to help you manage what your kids play, with whom, when and for how long, and whether they can spend money on new games and in-game purchases. ESRB provides step-by-step parental control guides at ParentalTools.org.

It’s also helpful to keep in mind that you can mute voice conversations and text messages between players, and in the case of Apex Legends, your kids can still communicate via the ping system.

The post What Parents Need to Know About Apex Legends appeared first on ESRB Ratings.

I absentmindedly gave my standard response, “Why don’t you go play with your friends?” The words flew out of my mouth just as my brain kicked in to remind me that, in the midst of a pandemic, it was bad manners for kids to show up at a friend’s house without first invoking complex inter-family logistics similar to prepping for a trip to the moon. “Oh. Right,” I said, feeling stupid.

“That’s okay, Mom,” my son said, reasonably. “I can play with Kayla on Minecraft. Is that okay?”

Just a few months ago, I would not have agreed. But now, I grabbed on to his idea like a life preserver. Kid engaged and out of trouble? Check! Socially distanced play? Check! Age appropriate content? It’s rated Everyone 10+. So, check! What’s not to like?

Going by the data, gaming has taken off during the pandemic, especially online gaming.

But then I started to wonder why my attitude has changed. Are other parents also re-evaluating what it means to “go play with friends”? Going by the data, gaming has taken off during the pandemic, especially online gaming. To get a different perspective, I asked several families about how they’re balancing social interaction with social distancing while making sure their kids are having age-appropriate experiences.

Although each of the families I spoke with had vastly different rules, they all had one thing in common – they grounded their decisions with extensive research, using content ratings and parental control options that help them draw and maintain boundaries for their children.

“I know my kids better than anyone else,” said Jonathan Silverstein, a father of two newborn twins and a teenager. “And one of the great things about ratings standards like the ESRB is that it gives me consistent guidance. I use that guidance to inform my decision-making.”

Here’s a snapshot of the families I spoke with.

The Silverstein Family

Location: Long Island, New York

Number of children: 3

Since the start of the pandemic, Jonathan Silverstein’s 14-year-old daughter Mila keeps up with friends by playing Star Stable Online. In addition, Silverstein and his family in Long Island have also used online games to stay in touch with relatives they’ve been unable to visit, including his two sisters’ families.

“It’s how we as a family have stayed connected with each other,” he said. “That was the only way we could hang out as a family. Even though they’re only about an hour’s drive away, every household in my family has at least one person at high risk for COVID-19 complications, so we might as well be on the other side of the planet.”

“It starts with the age ratings, but it’s the second component, the descriptors, that tells me what is and what is not appropriate.”

– Jonathan Silverstein

Their preferred game? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone. Silverstein is aware that the games are rated Mature 17+, but he’s comfortable with his daughter playing the online game as long as she’s with family members.

“It starts with the age ratings, but it’s the second component, the descriptors, that tells me what is and what is not appropriate,” he explained, referring to the ESRB’s more than 30 Content Descriptors and individual rating summaries. “It’s like movies. Some R-rated movies are okay, because I know my daughter is mature enough to understand the material. Same with the ESRB ratings. The Content Descriptors give me a set of criteria to evaluate the game’s appropriateness. With this title, I know she’s mature enough to understand that this is fiction.”

The Huey Family

Location: Seattle, Washington

Number of children: 3

Amy Huey used to be a lot more circumspect about her three children’s online gaming activities.

In normal times, this wasn’t an issue. With a schedule packed with sports, playdates, school, camps and extracurricular activities, there was little time left over for video games.

Once the pandemic hit, schedules turned upside down. What was once an occasional activity became a primary activity for her three boys, ages 8, 11 and 13 years.

“Since we’ve been home, it’s primarily how they stay in touch with their friends,” Huey said. “They’ve been on Minecraft, Fortnite (Teen 13+), and Terraria (Teen 13+), because that’s where all their friends are. They don’t do social media. Gaming is how they connect.”

The sudden influx of gaming this year has led Huey to pay closer attention to ratings and reviews to help ensure that her boys were selecting games that were appropriate for their ages. “My oldest is 13, and my youngest is 8,” she explained. “With such a wide age range, it’s a challenge to manage. The [ESRB] ratings and descriptors really help guide what we should allow in the house.”

The Bunge Sellers Family

Location: Katy, Texas

Number of children: 2

Tonda Bunge Sellers once maintained an “E-only” household.

“No games unless it’s rated E,” Bunge Sellers said, referring to the ESRB’s “Everyone” rating category that’s granted to games that are suitable for all ages. “It had to be an E, and no online interactions were allowed. I am very intentional about the technology that comes into our home.”

But in May, she found herself re-evaluating her rules for her 10-year-old son.

“I realized I was going to have to let him online,” said Bunge Sellers, who produces events about kids and technology. “It’s hard to be with your parents 24/7 when you’re 10 years old. He needs his friends.”

The family settled on playing Minecraft (rated Everyone 10+) and Fortnite Creative, a sandbox version of the original battle royale version of Fortnite, which was assigned a Teen 13+ rating from the ESRB.

“We did the research and looked at these games together,” said Bunge Sellers, who drew the line for her family at allowing Fortnite Creative, because it was “still team-based play and building obstacle courses,” but not Fortnite itself because she felt the frenetic third-person combat was not appropriate for her son.

“Although the rating was for Teen,” she explained, “I learned personally that the game allows for builders and hunters and that there are collaborative aspects that provided a social outlet for our son during the pandemic.”

Bunge Sellers readily admits that the lines she draws for her family may be very different than what other families may decide for theirs – and that’s okay.

“For me, it helps to have ratings and guidelines created by people that I trust. It means something to me to know that there’s research behind it,” she said. “Every family is different, but having a common standard helps us know what we’re getting so we can make the right decisions for our own families.”

The Chelesnik Family

Location: San Diego, California

Number of children: 1

Like nearly all parents I spoke with, Amy Chelesnik is especially alert to how her 13-year-old son interacts with others while playing online.

“I don’t take issue with him connecting with people he knows. I take great issue with him engaging with people he doesn’t know,” said Chelesnik.

Chelesnik said she specifically approved Minecraft for her son because the game allowed her to set whom he can communicate with. As a former middle school science teacher, her model for vetting games and apps is based on the rigorous standards that school districts place on interactive technologies before they are allowed in classrooms. Even after they make it on the districts’ approved list, Chelesnik made a point of using the technologies herself before deciding whether she would adopt them for her students.

“… It’s important for me to know if he’s going to be interacting with strangers. Will there be in-app purchases? Is there a chat feature? Is our location being shared? Can I limit those things?”

– Amy Chelesnik

“The most important thing for us as a family is having the tools to manage who he interacts with,” Chelesnik said.

“I especially like the addition of the Interactive Elements at the bottom” of the ESRB three-part rating system, she said. “I think it’s awesome, because it’s important for me to know if he’s going to be interacting with strangers. Will there be in-app purchases? Is there a chat feature? Is our location being shared? Can I limit those things? Having clear answers to those questions is important to me.”

The Chen Family

Location: Del Mar, California

Number of children: 4

With four kids age 9 to 16 years, the Chen household is a whirlwind – and the pandemic hasn’t seemed to slow down their pace. To be sure, many of the activities, from theater and improv workshops to cooking classes and video game playdates, have shifted online.

Still, the insatiable curiosity and rocket-fueled energy of each of Kathy Chen’s four children make it a challenge to know everything that goes on at all times. To keep tabs on her kids and make sure they stay within the digital boundaries she sets, Chen takes maximum advantage of all the parental controls at her disposal.

“As a former prosecutor, any kind of consistent ratings system that gives parents a sense of the content and interactive elements is hugely welcome.”

– Kathy Chen

Chen, who spent several years as a prosecutor in Massachusetts, invests time to vet her children’s digital experiences, whether it’s social media, online classes or online games.

“Whenever you bring kids together, you have to be careful,” she said. “As a former prosecutor, any kind of consistent ratings system that gives parents a sense of the content and interactive elements is hugely welcome.”

The ESRB’s rating system, for example, calls out interactive features including the ability for players to interact with each other, whether the game or app shares players’ locations with others, whether there are in-game purchases of digital goods or services, and if unrestricted internet access is provided.

“Look, being online and chatting with friends online is suboptimal,” Chen conceded. “You miss a lot of the nuances of being next to a person. But I can’t imagine going through COVID-19 without it. Even though it’s suboptimal doesn’t mean it’s not useful.”

***

What struck me as I spoke with Kathy and other fellow parents is how the pandemic has reshaped how children interact and how parents think of social play – perhaps in ways that will endure long after a vaccine is developed. To be sure, for many parents online games and digital interactions aren’t a one-to-one substitute for spending time in person. But they can add a new dimension to how our kids develop friendships, along with a sense of community. And as families grapple with how to adapt, ratings are giving parents like myself a layer of confidence and reassurance that they are, if nothing else, making safe, appropriate choices for their children.

As I listened to my son chat with his friend over Minecraft this past weekend, I could hear echoes of the familiar, back and forth patter that the two of them have engaged in since grade school. I have to admit, it soothed me and gave me a sense that, yes, things will be OK after all.

Alex Pham is a mother, journalist and content strategist living in San Diego, Calif. She previously spent 20 years writing about media and technology for publications such as the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and Billboard Magazine. The highlight of her career was when she beat Pikmin in a single, caffeine-fueled weekend.

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