The Elder Scrolls Online receives M rating

Bethesda has announced today that Elder Scrolls Online was given an M rating by Entertainment Software Rating Board.

January 22, 2014 3:30 PM

The Elder Scrolls Online has been given an M rating by the ESRB. According to Bethesda VP Pete Hines, the company had anticipated a T rating. While disappointed, the company does not plan on challenging the rating. "The game we have created is the one we want our fans to be able to play," Bethesda told fans.

"While we may disagree with the ESRB's determination, we do not plan to challenge the rating, and we are unwilling to change the game’s content to achieve a different rating," an update to Bethesda's Facebook page reads. Because of the unexpected Mature turn for the game, Bethesda is now required to age-gate all content surrounding the game. It also means that anyone that joins the game should technically be over 17 years old.

For an updated look at the game, check out today's play session video:

Alex Martinet

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January 22, 2014 2:59 PM

Alex Martinet posted a new article, ESRB Delivers an M Rating for Elder Scrolls Online.

Bethesda has announced today that Elder Scrolls Online was given an M rating by Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Pete Hines, vice...
- sanchez
  
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  January 22, 2014 3:01 PM
  
  I just realized that Skyrim also got an M rating which is kind of surprising.
  - winterface
    
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    January 22, 2014 3:12 PM
    
    The opening scene features a a guy chopping off a guys head I can see where the m comes from in skyrim
    
    Although I think skyrim is one of those barely m rated games. There's not a lot of blood, the beer references probably help push itover too
    - GreggD
      
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      January 22, 2014 4:47 PM
      
      The Elder Scrolls games have touched on many mature topics in the past, so perhaps the visual content doesn't merit the M rating, but I'd guess that the dialogue certainly would.
      - dpgagnon
        
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        January 22, 2014 7:56 PM
        
        Yeah, the Dark Brotherhood storylines alone would be worthy of an M rating.
      - DeBurgo
        
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        January 22, 2014 7:59 PM
        
        that's actually one of the things I like about the TES games. they don't pull any punches, but they aren't making their games into exploitative grimdark gorefests, either.
        
        DeBurgo
        
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        January 22, 2014 7:59 PM
        
        (not that there's anything wrong with exploitative grimdark gorefests)
        
        [deleted] 1789559702
        
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        January 23, 2014 2:02 AM
        
        [deleted]
        
        GreggD
        
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        January 23, 2014 11:57 PM
        
        Well, Skyrim had decapitations, but it ended there, sadly.
      - johnlocks
        
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        January 23, 2014 12:39 AM
        
        The uncensored version of the in universe book "The Real Barenzia" is strait out pornographic at points.
    - [deleted] 39885873
      
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      January 23, 2014 5:24 AM
      
      [deleted]
- wunderbred
  
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  January 22, 2014 5:26 PM
  
  TLDR? ESRB: M FOR ESO
- sanewave
  
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  January 22, 2014 5:29 PM
  
  if ur gonna get an M, might as well go all out!
  - drac01
    
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    January 22, 2014 8:56 PM
    
    Got to agree, just make it R and feature full nudity and maximum gibs!
- Ziz
  
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  January 22, 2014 5:54 PM
  
  You'll be able to run around in your underwear.
- FreshwaterAU
  
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  January 22, 2014 7:21 PM
  
  Preorder canceled
- Zerbyte
  
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  January 22, 2014 7:41 PM
  
  Now if that would only keep the teenage punks with all their racial slurs offline then it would be worth talking about. But idiot parents think their kids are perfect when not watched over.
- Turd Ferguson
  
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  January 23, 2014 5:38 AM
  
  Server shut downs in how many months after launch?
  - Vincent Grayson
    
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    January 23, 2014 6:34 AM
    
    Everyone is on a single server, so that won't be a thing. How long it takes to go F2P, that's the question.
    - daggot
      
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      January 23, 2014 6:40 AM
      
      I get the feeling they've already designed the game with f2p in mind from the beginning. They may be talking about not doing f2p, but in this day-in age they'd be foolish not to at least design some of the core components and system around the idea of moving to f2p later on.
- daggot
  
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  January 23, 2014 6:39 AM
  
  Considering all the bile that happens in...Barrens chat..er Zone chat, whatev's... every mmo should be AO just for the pre-teen spewage that comes across the chat windows.
  
  "Game Experience May Change During Online Play" - so why not just put the maximum rating and assume the worst of humanity?
- The Average Hero
  
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  January 23, 2014 3:04 PM
  
  Looks cool, so I think I'll wait until this goes "free2play".