M (Mature 17+)
Mature 17+ is an ESRB rating that suggests a video game is suitable for ages 17 and up. According to the ESRB, an M rated video game "may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language."
Video games with this rating are rated C in Mexico.
- French name: Jeunes adultes 17+
- Spanish name: Maduro +17
Factors[]
This is just an approximate, the rating is based off of factors such as extent, context, frequency and player control.
Violence[]
M rated games can contain graphic and/or realistic depictions of violence.
Blood/Gore[]
M rated games can contain extreme blood and/or realistic gore, and injury detail.
Sexuality[]
M rated games may contain non-pornographic sex and sexual themes.
Gameplay involving sexual content is allowed but it mustn't be too explicit.
Nudity[]
Detailed nudity is permitted in M rated games, but should not be exploitative.
Language[]
M rated games can contain strong language including sexual expletives such as "f**k" and "c*nt".
Substances[]
Graphic drug use is permitted in M rated games.
Gambling[]
Simulated gambling is permitted in M rated games, even if it is the main feature, but real gambling is not.
Humor[]
Mature humor is acceptable.
Enforcement[]
In Canada, provincial laws make it illegal to sell an M rated video game to a person under 17 years of age. In the United States, however, there is no legislative basis for the ESRB ratings. Usually, it is against retail policy to sell an M-rated video game to a person younger than 17 years. However, many retailers can vary with minors under 17. Some requiring proof of age and sometimes they can allow to buy a game with an adult and even sometimes they don't need an adult.
Escalation scale[]
Violence - (E) Mild Fantasy Violence/Violent References -> (E10+) Fantasy Violence/Mild Violence/Violent References -> (T) Violence -> (M17+) Intense Violence
Blood - (E/E10+) Mild Blood/Animated Blood -> (T) Blood (and Gore) -> (M17+) Blood and Gore
Sexuality - (E) Mild Suggestive Themes -> (E10+) (Mild) Suggestive Themes -> (T) Suggestive Themes/(Mild) Sexual Themes/Sexual Content -> (M17+) (Strong) Sexual Content
Nudity - (T) Partial Nudity -> (M17+) Nudity
Language - (E) Mild Language/Mild Lyrics -> (E10+/T) Language/Lyrics -> (M17+) Strong Language/Strong Lyrics
Substances - (E) Alcohol/Tobacco Reference/Use of Alcohol (and Tobacco) -> (E10+) Use of Alcohol (and Tobacco)/Drug Reference -> (T) Use of Drugs (and Alcohol)/Drug Reference -> (M17+) Use of Drugs
Humor - (E) Comic Mischief/Crude Humor -> (E10+/T) Crude Humor -> (M17+) Mature Humor
Examples of notable M rated video games[]
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Blood and Gore, Language, Violence)
- Halo is a first-person shooter sci-fi series in which you play as Master Chief, a biogenetically engineered soldier, who has to save the Halo ring from monsters and enemy creatures. The original games have been compared to PG-13 rated movies at times, and even described as having "the wrong rating". The main reason why they have an M rating is because of the blood in the game, being very frequent and in large amounts. In 2015, the Halo games switched into a teen-friendly change.
- Mass Effect (Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence)
- Mass Effect is a third-person shooter sci-fi series set in the future where humans and aliens coexist and live in the same universe. The games have been usually compared to PG-13 rated movies and have very tame content. The first game had one of the hugest gaming controversies of all time when a sex scene in the game was reported to have graphic sex and nudity similar to pornography. In reality the game only contained brief non-detailed glimpses of an alien sideboob and sidebutt shot and implied sex, but it doesn't show the actual activity or graphic nudity.
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence)
- Oblivion is a fantasy role-playing first-person game in which you play as a knight who can travel to different towns and settings and defeat enemies. The game used to be rated Teen but players discovered a mod to make women topless and found some areas containing gore. This caused some retailers to check people for ID when purchasing the game.
- Grand Theft Auto V (Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol)
- GTA V is an open world action game in which you play as one of three protagonists. You can complete missions, explore the open world and partake in in-game activities. The game is hugely popular with not only adults, but teens and even children, and has been a main source for controversy because of this. The game contains adult content such as an accessible strip club, slightly graphic violence, drug use, offensive language, implied sex and torture mechanics. Parents blame GTA V for being so violent and offensive even though the game is intended for mature players only.
Equivalents[]
- MPAA's R rating
- TV Parental Guidelines' TV-MA rating
- MTRCB's R-16 and normal SPG ratings
- PEGI's 16 rating
- BBFC's 15 rating
- ACB's MA 15+ rating
- CERO's hard C and D ratings
- Netflix's 16+ rating
| Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) |
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Current ratings     
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