Half of All ESRB Ratings Assigned in 2021 Were E for Everyone
It should come as no surprise that in 2021 more games were assigned the E for Everyone rating than any other rating category. This has been the case every year since ESRB started assigning ratings, but in 2021 E for Everyone ratings accounted for half of all rating assignments for physical games and console downloadable games. Check out our Rating Category Breakdown to see what portion each Rating Category represents of the more than 4,800 ratings assigned in 2021.
E (Everyone)
50% of all ratings assigned to physical and console downloadable games in 2021 were for E for Everyone. This means that families have literally thousands of choices of games that are appropriate for the whole family!
E10+ (Everyone 10+)
Just like in 2020, Everyone 10+ was assigned 16% of the time in 2021. Combined with all of the games rated E for Everyone, your 10-year-old has even more age-appropriate games to choose from than last year!
T (Teen 13+)
22% of ratings assigned were for T for Teen in 2021. Combined with E and E10+, almost 9 out of 10 ratings assigned to physical and console downloadable games released in 2021 are appropriate for your teenager!
M (Mature 17+)
Like in years past, M for Mature 17+ was the least common rating in 2021 with 12% of rating assignments.
Rating Categories are a great first step to understanding what’s in a game before buying or downloading for your kids. But remember that it’s just one part of the equation! ESRB also assigns Content Descriptors to indicate why a game was assigned a specific rating, and Interactive Elements to highlight interactive or online features that may be of interest, such as online communications with other players and in-game purchases. And if you have any remaining questions, you can always consult our rating summaries, which are available by title search on our website and mobile app.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that no one knows your kids better than you. Sometimes your younger one may be ready for a T-rated game, and other times your 14-year-old may need some more time. ESRB is here to help provide you with the tips and information you need to make 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!
