Overview
Mortal Kombat changed everything. After congressional hearings about video game violence—featuring Mortal Kombat’s fatalities and Night Trap’s controversy—the industry created self-regulatory ratings systems. The ESRB in North America, PEGI in Europe, and similar bodies worldwide now classify games by age-appropriateness, transforming how games are sold and marketed.
Fast facts
- ESRB founded: 1994.
- PEGI founded: 2003.
- Trigger: Congressional hearings (1993).
- Purpose: Self-regulation, parental guidance.
ESRB ratings
| Rating |
Age guidance |
| EC |
Early Childhood |
| E |
Everyone |
| E10+ |
Everyone 10+ |
| T |
Teen |
| M |
Mature 17+ |
| AO |
Adults Only |
PEGI ratings
| Rating |
Age |
| PEGI 3 |
All ages |
| PEGI 7 |
7+ |
| PEGI 12 |
12+ |
| PEGI 16 |
16+ |
| PEGI 18 |
Adults |
Content descriptors
| Category |
Examples |
| Violence |
Blood, gore, combat |
| Language |
Profanity levels |
| Sexual content |
Suggestive to explicit |
| Substance use |
Drugs, alcohol, tobacco |
| Online features |
Interactions, purchases |
Pre-rating era
| Issue |
Situation |
| No guidance |
Parents uninformed |
| Retailer discretion |
Inconsistent enforcement |
| Controversy |
Moral panic cycles |
| Industry image |
Under attack |
Congressional hearings (1993)
| Game |
Concern |
| Mortal Kombat |
Fatality violence |
| Night Trap |
FMV content |
| Doom |
Graphic violence |
| Outcome |
Industry self-regulation |
Retail impact
| Effect |
Implementation |
| Age verification |
ID checks for M-rated |
| Marketing restrictions |
TV advertising limits |
| Shelf placement |
Mature sections |
| Platform holders |
Content guidelines |
Regional variations
| Region |
System |
| North America |
ESRB |
| Europe |
PEGI |
| Japan |
CERO |
| Australia |
ACB |
| Germany |
USK |
Criticism and debate
| Issue |
Perspective |
| Effectiveness |
Parental awareness varies |
| AO stigma |
Essentially bans games |
| Consistency |
Subjective judgements |
| Violence vs sex |
Uneven standards |
See also