The 'Everyone Else is Playing It' Guide to Mature-Rated Games
How to navigate social pressure and evaluate adult content to decide if your child is ready for games like Call of Duty or GTA.
TL;DR: When your kid says "everyone" is playing Grand Theft Auto V, they usually mean three influential friends and a dozen YouTubers. Mature (M) ratings aren't just about "bad words"—they often involve complex themes, hyper-realistic violence, and toxic online communities. Before saying yes, check the Screenwise guide to ESRB ratings and consider "bridge" games like Apex Legends or Halo Infinite that offer the "cool" factor without the strip clubs or torture scenes.
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The request usually starts around 5th or 6th grade. Your kid comes home and drops the bomb: "I need Call of Duty. Literally everyone in my class is playing it. I’m the only one who isn’t."
As a parent, you’re stuck between two bad options. You can be the "lame" parent who keeps them in the digital "baby" zone while their friends are bonding over headshots, or you can hand them a controller and hope they don't turn into a nihilist by dinner time.
But here is the reality: "Everyone" is rarely everyone. According to Screenwise community data, while about 65% of middle schoolers claim to play M-rated games, the actual number of parents who intentionally permit it is much lower. Most of the time, kids are playing at a friend's house or watching "No Commentary" playthroughs on YouTube.
The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) gives an "M" rating for content suited for ages 17 and up. In the 90s, this meant pixelated blood. Today, it means something entirely different. We are talking about photorealistic violence, sexual violence, drug use, and—perhaps most importantly—unfiltered interaction with strangers.
When you see an M rating, it’s usually for one of these "Big Three" reasons:
- Visceral Violence: Not just "bonking" an enemy, but detailed depictions of injury.
- Adult Themes: Think Grand Theft Auto V, which features a playable torture scene and visits to strip clubs.
- The Community: M-rated games often have "Proximity Chat," meaning your 11-year-old can hear exactly what a frustrated 24-year-old in another state thinks about their mother.
If your kid is asking for a Mature game, it is almost certainly one of these three. Here is the no-BS breakdown of what they actually are.
Let’s be real: this game is essentially a crime simulator. While the "gameplay" is technically brilliant, the world is cynical, misogynistic, and violent. There is no "clean" way to play GTA. If your kid is under 15, this is a hard sell. It’s not just the hookers and the heists; it’s the fact that the game rewards "bad" behavior as the primary mechanic.
- The Verdict: Wait until they’re older. If they want to drive cars and explore a city, try Forza Horizon 5.
Kids want this because it’s the gold standard of "cool" shooters. The violence is military-style and intense, but the real danger here isn't the pixels—it's the lobby. The Call of Duty community is notoriously toxic. If you do allow this, the first thing you should do is go into the settings and disable all voice chat.
- The Verdict: If they are 13+ and mature enough to handle military themes, maybe. But keep the headset off.
This one is a bit different. It’s rated M for "Blood and Gore" and "Suggested Themes," but it’s a high-fantasy epic. It’s incredibly difficult and dark, but it doesn't have the "moral rot" of a game like GTA. It’s a masterpiece of design, but it is deeply disturbing in its imagery (monsters, decaying worlds).
- The Verdict: For a 12-14 year old who loves The Lord of the Rings, this might actually be okay, provided they can handle the frustration of dying 500 times.
It’s easy to think kids just want to see gore, but that’s rarely the primary motivator.
Social Currency: In middle school, knowing the meta (the current best strategy) for Call of Duty: Warzone is like knowing the stats of the star quarterback. If you don't play, you're out of the conversation.
The "Forbidden Fruit" Factor: Tell a kid they can’t watch a "brain rot" YouTube short and they’ll roll their eyes. Tell them they can’t play a "Mature" game and suddenly it’s the only thing they’ve ever wanted.
High Production Value: Let's face it, Roblox looks like trash compared to Red Dead Redemption 2. Kids have eyes. They want the cinematic experience that M-rated games provide.
If you aren't ready to pull the trigger on an M-rated game, you can offer these "bridge" titles. They are T-rated (Teen), offer high-octane action, and are considered "cool" by the peer group without the extreme baggage.
This is a "Hero Shooter" that is fast-paced and highly competitive. It’s T-rated, meaning the violence is more sci-fi and less "blood on the walls." It’s a great alternative for kids begging for Call of Duty.
The classic. It’s iconic, it’s T-rated, and it feels "big." You’re a super-soldier fighting aliens. It’s heroic rather than cynical.
If they like the team aspect of Fortnite but want something that feels more "grown-up," Overwatch 2 is a vibrant, T-rated team shooter with a massive following.
It’s E10+, but it’s so massive and complex that no kid will feel like they are playing a "baby game." It’s the ultimate "prestige" game that earns respect in any gaming circle.
Instead of a flat "no," try to have a conversation that shows you actually know what the game is.
- Ask what specifically they like about the game. Is it the graphics? The fact that their friend Kyle plays it? The "open world" aspect?
- Watch a "Let's Play" together. Go to YouTube and search for "GTA 5 gameplay no commentary." Watch ten minutes with them. Ask them, "What do you think about how the characters talk to women in this?" or "Does this seem like a world you want to spend 40 hours in?"
- The "Trial Period" Strategy. If you’re on the fence, allow them to play a T-rated game with the headset off first. If they can handle the frustration of losing without throwing a controller or screaming, they might be ready for more intense themes.
If you do decide to allow an M-rated game, the content is often less dangerous than the features.
- In-App Purchases: Many of these games are "live services." They want your credit card for "skins" and "battle passes." Check out our guide on how to manage gaming spend.
- Unfiltered Voice Chat: This is the #1 source of digital trauma for kids. If the game has an "M" rating, the ESRB does not rate the online interactions. You are essentially sending your kid into a dive bar with a megaphone.
- The Time Sink: M-rated games are designed to be "sticky." A single match in some games can last 45 minutes, and you can't "pause" an online game. Set the boundaries before the console turns on.
Check out our guide on how to set up parental controls for Xbox and PlayStation
There is no "magic age" where a kid is suddenly ready for The Last of Us Part II. Some 13-year-olds have the emotional maturity to understand a dark story, while some 17-year-olds will just use the platform to be a jerk to strangers.
Don't let the "everyone else is playing it" argument bully you. Use Screenwise to see what the actual norms are in your community. If you decide to say no, offer a high-quality T-rated alternative. If you say yes, do it with the safety settings dialed up and your eyes wide open.
- Audit their wishlist: Look up every game they want on Screenwise to see the WISE Score.
- Set the "No Headset" rule: Make it a family policy that online gaming happens in the living room, not the bedroom.
- Talk about "The Why": Explain that your job isn't to stop their fun, but to protect their brain from "brain rot" content that they aren't ready to process yet.
Ask our chatbot for a script to talk to your kid about M-rated games