How to tell if Games are Appropriate for Children

           Most games have game ratings that you can use to help you decide whether the game is appropriate for your children. Game ratings are set by a game ratings board, which is an organization that establishes guidelines for video game content for different regions and countries.

  

 How can I tell if a game is appropriate for child?

          Just as movies have ratings, games are rated by independent ratings boards. Game ratings boards rate games according to age groups so that you can tell how old children should be to play them. Nearly all commercially published games are rated.

  How do I find out what a game is rated?

         If you have the package the game came in, look on the back cover. If the rating information isn't there, try looking on the bottom of the box. This information is also available in the Games folder.

 How can I see all of the games that are on this computer and what their ratings are?

          All of the games and their ratings are displayed in the Games folder.

 Can I control which games are played on this computer?

          Yes. Parental Controls let you prevent games from being played. You can block games based on their rating or type of content. Ratings boards use content descriptors such as Violence or Adult Themes to describe the type of content in a game. You can also use Parental Controls to keep certain users from using a computer at certain times of the day. For more information, see Set up Parental Controls.

  What are game rating boards and how do they work?

          There are several different content advisory boards around the world that rate games. They work with governments to make sure that all games get rated, and they work with game companies to make sure the ratings appear on packaging, advertising, and websites.

 What do the ratings and content descriptors mean?

          Each ratings board has its own system for rating games. Ratings boards usually have their own websites with more detailed information about their rating levels and content descriptors. In general, ratings describe the age range that would be appropriate for the game (similar to movie ratings). For more information, see Game ratings and content descriptors: frequently asked questions.