The age rating is just the headline. The real information is in those little icons—the content descriptors that tell you why a game got its rating.

ESRB Content Descriptors include things like:

PEGI Content Icons include:

Here's a real example: Fortnite is rated T (Teen) by ESRB and PEGI 12. The content descriptors? "Violence" and "In-Game Purchases" (ESRB) plus "Violence" and "In-Game Purchases" (PEGI).

Now compare that to Minecraft: E10+ (ESRB) and PEGI 7. Content descriptors: "Fantasy Violence" (ESRB) and "Violence" (PEGI).

Both games involve combat. But Fortnite's realistic gun mechanics and elimination-focused gameplay push it into Teen/12 territory, while Minecraft's blocky, abstract violence keeps it younger. The descriptor tells you more than the age rating alone.

Both ESRB and PEGI include warnings about online interactions, but here's the catch: they don't factor into the age rating itself.

A game could be rated E (Everyone) but include open voice chat with strangers, toxic player behavior, or exposure to inappropriate usernames and content created by other players. Roblox is a perfect example—it's rated E10+ (ESRB) and PEGI 7, but the user-generated content and social features create risks that go way beyond the base game's rating.

When you see "Users Interact" or "Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB," that's your cue to dig deeper. Check out our guide on Roblox parental controls or how to keep kids safe in online multiplayer games.

This is where PEGI has been more proactive than ESRB. In 2020, PEGI added a specific icon for "In-Game Purchases" that includes loot boxes, randomized rewards, and any game where you can spend real money on virtual items.

ESRB followed suit but was slower to adopt clear labeling. Now both systems flag games with microtransactions, but neither system rates the intensity of those monetization tactics. A game with optional cosmetic purchases gets the same warning as a game with aggressive, pay-to-win mechanics.

FIFA (now EA Sports FC) is rated E (Everyone) by ESRB and PEGI 3, but it contains Ultimate Team packs—essentially gambling mechanics targeting kids. The rating doesn't reflect that. Learn more about how loot boxes work and why they're controversial.

EC / PEGI 3 (Ages 3-5): Games like Paw Patrol: Grand Prix or Bluey: The Videogame. No violence, no scary content, no reading required. Safe for preschoolers.

E / PEGI 7 (Ages 6-9): Games like Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, or Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Mild cartoon violence, simple gameplay, generally wholesome.

E10+ / PEGI 12 (Ages 10-12): Games like Minecraft, Splatoon 3, or Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. More complex mechanics, mild fantasy violence, some competitive elements. This is the sweet spot for most elementary and middle schoolers.

T / PEGI 12-16 (Ages 13-15): Games like Fortnite, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, or Rocket League. More realistic violence, online interactions, competitive pressure. This is where you need to start having real conversations about online behavior, screen time, and in-game spending.

M / PEGI 18 (Ages 17+): Games like Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto V, or The Last of Us. Graphic violence, strong language, mature themes. These are not for kids, full stop. If your 12-year-old is begging for GTA because "everyone plays it," the answer is no. Here's why GTA is genuinely not appropriate for kids.

1. Start with the age rating, then read the descriptors. Don't just look at the "T" or "12" on the box. Check what content pushed it into that category. "Fantasy Violence" is very different from "Intense Violence."

2. Watch gameplay videos. YouTube and Twitch are your friends here. Search "[game name] gameplay" and watch 10 minutes. You'll learn more from that than any rating system can tell you.

3. Check Common Sense Media or our own media pages. Sites like Common Sense Media provide detailed parent reviews. Our media pages include WISE scores and community feedback from other parents.

4. Pay attention to online features. If a game has "Users Interact" or online multiplayer, assume your kid will encounter language, behavior, or content that goes beyond the rating. Set up parental controls, enable chat restrictions, and have conversations about reporting toxic players.

5. Don't ignore your instincts. Ratings are guidelines, not gospel. If a game feels wrong for your kid—even if it's "age-appropriate"—trust that. Every kid is different. Some 10-year-olds can handle the intensity of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, others find it overwhelming.

If you're buying physical games, you'll see the rating system for your region. But digital storefronts complicate things:

If you see a PEGI rating and you're in the US, a rough conversion:

But again, check the content descriptors. A PEGI 12 game with "Bad Language" and "Fear" is different from one with "Violence" and "Gambling."

ESRB and PEGI are imperfect systems, but they're what we've got. The age rating gives you a baseline, the content descriptors give you specifics, and your own judgment fills in the gaps.

The real work isn't memorizing the difference between "T" and "PEGI 12"—it's understanding what your kid can handle, what your family values are, and how to navigate the online, monetized, socially complex world of modern gaming.

Next steps:

And remember: the rating on the box is just the beginning of the conversation, not the end of it.