Do ESRB ratings address player chat or player-generated content in online-enabled games?
ESRB ratings only address content created by the publisher, and cannot consider content that is created or introduced by individual players when playing the game online. ESRB-rated games that can be played online with other players and which enable exposure to user-generated content are required to display an Online Rating Notice on the game’s packaging (if it exists), as well as in the opening screen. The Online Rating Notice states: “Online Interactions Not Rated By The ESRB.” This notice is intended to warn about possible exposure to chat (text, audio, video) or other types of user-generated content (e.g., maps, skins) that have not been considered in the ESRB rating assignment.
