Title Ratings for Xbox One

Updated October 12, 2015

This document helps identify what types of title ratings are used by Xbox One and how they are supported.

Version update:

• Updates to Korea (GRB, GRAC, GCRB)

In this topic:

• Introduction
• What are ratings?
• Example of ratings claim in AppXManifest
• Supported title ratings
• Ratings and locales
• Store Age Ratings
• Terminology
• Questions
• Appendix: Ratings boards and systems

Introduction

This white paper focuses on two essential concepts as they pertain to content classifications and restrictions on Xbox One: ratings and parental controls. For the purposes of this document, these concepts can be summarized as follows:

• Rating: Refers to the high-level rating assigned to an application based on the substance of the application’s content. Ratings specify the age level for which different types of content are deemed appropriate by different regions’ ratings boards.
• Parental controls: A profile setting on Xbox One that defines the highest rating level of content that a user can play or view within an application. Xbox One maps its parental controls to the ratings of the various ratings boards (by region) and prevents users from accessing content that is rated higher than allowed by the setting in their profile.

What are ratings?

Ratings are subjective classifications that are applied to titles or applications. In the context of Xbox One, ratings are based on a title or application’s content and functionality, as well as user-generated content.

• Content: A title or app’s rating would take into account whether and to what extent its content includes things like violence, drug use, coarse language, nudity, or sexual activity.
• Functionality: This would include such things as an app or title’s social features, privacy, or modes of interacting social networks.
• User-generated content: Ratings would take into account the nature of content accessible through the application that has been created by other users and whether any restrictions apply to user-generated content allowed by the app or title.

Ratings are one of the tools that customers and their families can use to monitor or restrict access to content that they consider to be objectionable or inappropriate for some or all family members. Without ratings, users wouldn’t be able to make informed decisions about title or application content and could potentially be exposed to content they found inappropriate, unsafe, or otherwise objectionable.

There are two types of ratings applicable to Xbox One titles and/or applications: title ratings and content ratings.

Title ratings

Title ratings are required for all titles and applications on Xbox One. Title ratings, which are set in the AppXManifest XML file, must accompany the title or application when it is submitted to Certification. Titles that do not have official ratings certificates must have a Store Age Rating (discussed later in this document) in place of the official rating.

Title ratings are a “wrapper rating” applicable to the entirety of a title or app. They are intended to help families understand the content and functionality within an app, and what types of parental controls are available within the app.

• A title containing only family-safe content would receive a less-restrictive title rating.
• A title that contains mature content but includes parental controls to restrict access to the mature content when required would receive a less-restrictive title rating.
• A title containing mature content and no parental controls would receive a more restrictive title rating.

To meet the title rating submission requirement, titles must have one of the following:

• A Supported Ratings Board Certificate
• A Store Age Rating

Titles must have a Supported Ratings Board Certificate for each region in which they are launching. In cases where a title cannot get an official rating, the title can self-rate with a Store Age Rating.

Supported Ratings Board Certificates

Supported Ratings Board Certificates are given by regional rating boards supported by the Xbox One and Windows family-safety APIs. To receive a rating certificate, a title must follow the submission requirements for each respective rating agency or government body. A Supported Ratings Board Certificate is required for each region where the title is launching.

Store Age Rating

Titles that are exempt from an official rating certificate must self-rate with a Store Age Rating. Titles could be exempt from official title ratings for the following reasons:

• The title is launching in a region with official ratings that are not supported by the platform.
• The title is a media app. Media apps are exempt from official rating certificate requirements.

Content ratings

Content ratings are applied to media content—like TV shows and movies—and help families understand what type of material they can expect to see when watching a particular TV show or movie. Content ratings often contribute to the overall title rating of an app, and are typically produced by an official ratings board.

On Xbox One, content ratings are only required for media apps and are not required for games or applications other than media apps.

Example of ratings claim in AppXManifest

As previously mentioned, applications need to add each rating certificate value appropriate for countries where the application is shipping. Here is an example of how to add the rating values to the AppXManifest for games.

    Add <mx:Ratings> to the Application section of the AppxManifest.
  
    Example:
  
      <Application>
        <mx:Ratings Category="game">
          <mx:Rating>ESRB:E10</mx:Rating>
          <mx:Rating>PEGI:7</mx:Rating>
          <mx:Rating>PEGI-PT:6</mx:Rating>
        </mx:Ratings>
      </Application>  

Here is an example of how to add the rating values to the AppXManifest for apps.

    Add <mx:Ratings> to the Application section of the AppxManifest.

    Example:
    
      <Application>
        <mx:Ratings Category="application">
          <mx:Rating>Microsoft:7</mx:Rating>
        </mx:Ratings>
      </Application>  

Supported title ratings

Supported ratings boards

This list shows the game age ratings boards supported on Xbox One, by region. More detailed information about each rating board can be found in the Appendix.

Table 1. Supported game age ratings boards by region.

Ratings and locales

Store Age Ratings

Store Age Ratings are used for titles and applications that are exempt from official ratings requirements; that is, titles or apps that meet one of the following criteria:

• Media applications that cannot be rated by an official ratings board.
• Titles launching in regions where no official ratings board is supported.

If your title meets one of these criteria, a Store Age Rating must be submitted in place of an Official Ratings Board Certificate.

Table 2. Store Age Ratings by ratings board.

Selecting a suitable Store Age Rating

When choosing the Store Age Rating for your title, consider the content that you are providing with your title. This includes TV shows, movies, game content, or user-generated content; and features provided by the title, such as purchasing, social network connectivity, or communication features.

In addition to the content your title displays, consider other aspects of your title’s functionality. For example, if a title connects to a service with a minimum age requirement, you must consider that requirement along with the content when picking the age rating.

Pick the Store Age Rating that represents the strictest age requirement applicable to your title’s content to protect the younger audiences. For example, if you have a title with content appropriate for audiences 13 years old or older, but the title uses an account on a service that requires members to be 16 years old or older, your Store Age Rating would be 16+.

3+ Suitable for young children

Application or title content with this rating contains minimal comic violence in non-realistic, cartoon form. The characters depicted in the app aren’t similar to, or associated with, real people. There should be no content that might frighten young children, and content does not contain any profanity, nudity, or reference to sexual activity. These apps don’t include features that can access content or functionality unsuitable for young children, such as the uncontrolled sharing of information online.

7+ Suitable for ages 7 and older

Content with this rating would be similar to content with the 3+ age rating. However, it can include content that might frighten younger children and can contain partial nudity, as long as the nudity doesn’t suggest or show sexual activity. These apps don’t include features that can access content or functionality unsuitable for young children, including the uncontrolled sharing of information online.

12+ Suitable for ages 12 and older

This content can contain more nudity than the 7+ age rating, as long as the nudity doesn’t suggest or show sexual activity. Content can include slightly graphic violence toward non-realistic characters, and non-graphic violence toward realistic human or animal characters. Content can also include some profanity, but the profanity cannot be sexual in nature. Titles and apps with this rating can include features that allow for uncontrolled access to online social networks, or the sharing of personal information with third parties, including other gamers and online acquaintances.

16+ Suitable for ages 16 and older

Title and application content can depict realistic violence with minimal blood, and it can depict mild sexual activity. It can also contain drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and criminal activities, and more profanity than would be allowed in 12+ content. These applications can include features that allow for uncontrolled access to online social networks, or the sharing of personal information with third parties, including other gamers and online acquaintances.

18+ Suitable for ages 18 and older

Suitable for adult-only audiences. Title or app content can include prolonged scenes of intense depictions of gross violence and graphic sexual content.

Terminology

Rating
  The high-level rating for the game is based on the substance of the game. Xbox One maps its parental controls to the ratings of the respective ratings boards and prevents users from accessing content that is rated higher than allowed by the parental-controls setting on the console.

Rating descriptors
  Granular details about the substance of the game provide a more informative view of a particular game, but parental controls do not apply. In other words, if a user can see games that are T-rated and below, he or she will be able to view all T-rated games regardless of their descriptors.

Parental controls
  A setting on Xbox One that defines the rating level of the games that a user can play or view on Xbox Live. For more information about parental controls on Xbox One, refer to the white paper Content Controls for Xbox One.

Trailers/videos
  Videos playable within the Xbox One UI.

Game add-on
  Content built by the publisher that can be downloaded through Xbox Live and utilized by the underlying game. In general, simply downloading the game add-on content does not allow access to the content; the user must also have the underlying game to access the substance of the game add-on content.

Catalog listing
  This is the “wrapper” for a game on the Xbox Store. It includes the ratings for a game, art assets such as box art and screenshots, localized titles and descriptions, and any game features.

Demos and trial experiences
  Refers to the release of a portion of a game rather than the full title. These experiences, the purpose of which is to drive purchase intent, are limited in functionality and digitally distributed by publishers through Xbox Live.

Questions

For any questions not answered in the Appendix, please contact osgratings@microsoft.com.

Appendix: Ratings boards and systems

In this section:

• ESRB
• PEGI
• USK
• COB Australia / OFLC New Zealand
• DJCTQ
• CERO
• GRAC, GRB, GCRB
• CSRR
• PCBP

ESRB

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates content sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The ESRB classifies games into categories based on the kind of content that’s in the game. ESRB ratings range from E (Everyone) and E10 (Kids 10 and up), to T (Teen), M (Mature), and AO (Adults Only). This range of ratings enables customers to evaluate what types of content might be in a game they are interested in, helping them make informed decisions about what they want to play.

Regions: United States and Canada

Table A-1. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (ESRB).

Table A-2. ESRB ratings levels.

New requirements for in-game extension content

If game add-on content has a different rating than the rest of the game, the publisher is required to obtain an updated rating from the ESRB and submit it along with the content. Microsoft Business Operations will verify content for ratings compliance, but we rely on the publisher for accurate ratings updates.

New rating process for console downloadable games only

There is a new streamlined rating process for games that will only be sold and downloaded through console and handheld storefronts, such as Xbox Live Arcade. These games will receive the same recognizable ESRB ratings through a process whose efficiency and ease of use provides the scalability necessary to address the steady increase of games delivered digitally across an ever-expanding multitude of new devices and outlets. ESRB staff will test games that have been rated through this new process shortly after they have been made available publicly to verify that disclosure was complete and accurate. In the event that content was not fully disclosed during this process, the rating displayed in the console or handheld store will be promptly corrected. In extreme cases of nondisclosure—including deliberate efforts to misinform the ESRB—the game and all of its promotional materials will be removed from the store through which it is being sold, pending its resubmission to ESRB.

Requirements for music game add-ons

The ESRB has stipulated that game add-ons for music games must contain the following text to ensure that users have the proper informed experience:

English: (Music Downloads Not Rated by the ESRB.)

French: (Les telechargements musicaux n’ont pas ete evalues par l’ESRB.)

Any catalog listing for a music game add-on that does not include this text in English (United States and Canada) and French (Canada) will be rejected and must be resubmitted.

Restrictions for game trailers

The ESRB considers trailers to be advertising material. Therefore, the following rule from the ESRB Advertising Review Council Manual applies to trailers:

No advertisement should contain any content that is likely to cause serious or widespread offense to the average consumer.

For example: An advertisement should not contain any graphic or extreme content that is likely to offend a reasonable parent or consumer (graphic blood, nudity, etc.). Advertisers should also consider that scenes spread over the course of a lengthy video game product can appear more intense when condensed into a 30-second TV spot or two-minute trailer, or when taken out of its original context.

When submitting trailers that feature gameplay footage, publishers should use discretion with respect to the nature of the trailer’s content. Trailers that have excessive violence or blood and gore might be rejected regardless of whether or not they are consistent with the overall title. For example, trailers that have been cited by the ESRB as excessively violent included footage of characters being killed by head-shots and chainsaws. If the ESRB requests that content be removed from the Xbox Store, Business Operations will notify the publisher immediately but might remove the trailer from the Xbox Store before receiving a new trailer from the publisher.

Ratings verification

The ratings for all games and apps that have been rated by the ESRB can be found here: http://www.esrb.org/index-js.jsp.

Rating requirements for trailers and videos

For a trailer to be ESRB-compliant, it must display the appropriate ESRB rating logo and descriptors at a 50% vertical height for four seconds prior to the beginning of the video footage.

Note Trailers with the ESRB logo can be released in only the US and Canada, because those are the only regions to which the ESRB ratings apply.

Rating requirements for demos and betas

For a demo/beta to be ESRB-compliant, it must display the appropriate ESRB Rating Pending logo and/or Rating Pending Notice (see Figure A-1) at a 50% vertical height for four seconds prior to the beginning of the demo.

Note Demos/betas with the ESRB logo can be released in only the US and Canada, because those are the only regions to which the ESRB ratings apply.

Policy regarding rating-pending (RP) content

ESRB has recently made changes to the policy concerning content that has yet to be rated. An excerpt from the new policy is included below for your reference. For more information please go to www.esrb.org or contact your ESRB representative. Business Operations can only accept trailers and demos that follow the guidelines detailed below for distribution through the Xbox Store or through Xbox.com in the US or Canada.

ESRB recognizes that due to the viral nature of the Internet, once a demo or trailer has been released on the Internet, it is generally not feasible for publishers to retrieve it. Having an “RP” appear on demos/trailers for extended periods of time, long after a title has been assigned an official ESRB rating, causes consumer confusion.

Therefore, the “RP” icon should no longer be displayed on game trailers or demos.

Instead, publishers must display one of the two notices reflected below for a duration of four seconds prior to the start of the demo or trailer. The [second notice] must be displayed in all demos or trailers for titles anticipated to receive a “T,” “M”, or “AO” rating, while the [first notice] should be displayed in demos or trailers for titles anticipated to receive an “EC”, “E”, or “E10+”. Please note: The RP icon should NOT be displayed with either of these two notices.

Use of the RP icon will still be required in all other advertising and promotional materials, including the product pages and web pages from which many of these trailers are initially launched.

Figure A-1. ESRB rating-pending notices.

Description	Notice
For titles anticipated to receive an EC, E, or E10+ rating:
For titles anticipated to receive a T, M, or AO rating:
For trailers deemed suitable for a general audience and RP games anticipated to be M‑rated:

Revision of the multi-title trailer/video rule

The current multi-title trailer rule requires that when a multi-title trailer or video incorporates separate segments for each game promoted that last more than 20 seconds each, the rating icon applicable to each game must either be: (i) overlaid at the start of the footage included for each respective game for four consecutive seconds or (ii) displayed for two consecutive seconds prior to the start of the segment for each respective game.

A third option has been added, allowing a compilation icon to be displayed for four seconds prior to the start of a multi-title trailer or video, regardless of the length of the separate segments.

Enforcement and fines

ESRB provides regular reviews of Xbox Store content and provides feedback regarding violations. After Xbox has been notified, we have 10 days (unless negotiated otherwise) to correct the issue and avoid being fined. Otherwise, a fine of $10,000 is levied per violation.

If Microsoft receives an ESRB violation notification, Business Operations will notify the publisher of the issue within 24 hours of receipt. In most cases, the publisher has the option to either replace the content with an ESRB-compliant offer or remove the offer from the Xbox Store entirely. If a resolution is not reached within seven days of the initial violation notification, Business Operations will remove the content from the Xbox Store until the issue is resolved.

PEGI

Regions: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom

Table A-3. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (PEGI).

Table A-4. PEGI ratings levels.

Including PEGI ratings in trailers

Age label display

Publishers have two options with regard to how they can display PEGI age labels in trailers.

The following requirements are applicable to the first age-label option:

• The age label must appear in a corner of the screen (left bottom corner, by default) during gameplay and packshot footage, for the full duration of the advertisement. During the elements to which the age rating does not directly apply (for example, hardware introduction, console or player footage, partner branding, and so forth), the age label can be left out.
• The age label must measure no smaller than 15%of the vertical height of the screen in which it is displayed.
• The age label must be displayed exactly as provided by PEGI, with no changesin shape, color, or design. Any deviation from this format is strictly prohibited, including but not limited to the use of transparent icons.
• If the age rating is still pending at the time the trailer is released, the advertisement must show the rating that can reasonably be expected, using the higher age category as a reference in case of doubt.

The following requirements are applicable to the second option for displaying age labels in trailers:

• The age label must appear on its own on a black or white screen at the beginning of the advertisement.
• The age label must measure no smaller than 50% of the vertical height of the screen in which it is displayed and must appear for a minimum of 1.5 seconds.
• The age label must be replicated exactly as provided by PEGI, with no changes in shape, color, or design. Any deviation from this format is strictly prohibited, including but not limited to the use of transparent icons.
• If the age rating is still pending at the time the trailer is released, the advertisement must show the age rating that can reasonably be expected, using the higher age category as a reference in case of doubt.

Voiceover

Although voiceovers are not required for trailers, PEGI supplies standard voiceovers for each rating category in several languages. Voiceovers are currently available from PEGI in the following languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, and Polish. Publishers can choose to produce their own voiceovers to match the rest of the spoken content. The voiceover should be in the language of the advertisement—if the ad contains no specific language, use English as the default—and must be synchronized with the age label displayed. The voiceovers say “PEGI 3,” “PEGI 7,” PEGI 12,” “PEGI 16,”and “PEGI 18.”

Ratings verification

Ratings verification for all games and apps that have been rated by the PEGI are available at http://www.pegi.info/en/index/.

Enforcement and fines

Joining PEGI is voluntary, although sanctions can be levied for up to 500K euros. To date, PEGI has not levied fines against anyone, and penalties would only be enforced for persistent violations.

USK

Region: Germany

Table A-5. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (USK).

Table A-6. USK ratings levels.

Ratings verification

Games are rated if they are distributed on a disc. Hence, if a game is digital-only, the provision of a USK rating is optional (not required).

Ratings verification for all games and apps that have been rated by the USK are available at http://www.usk.de/titelsuche/titelsuche/.

USK requirements

Requirements for content in Germany fall into two categories: playable and non-playable.

Playable content includes full game titles, Arcade titles, and demos. Playable content falls into three ratings states: rated, rating pending, and rating denied.

Rated playable content

If playable content has received a rating from the USK, the game and associated content can be released to the Xbox Store for the respective age group.

• For titles that received a rating for the full version, this rating can be applied to the demo version with similar content. The demo does not need to have a separate rating.
• For titles that have been modified for the German market to receive an age rating, the demo needs to have the identical modifications (that is, similar content) or requires a separate rating.
• For demo versions with a lower age rating than the final product, the lower age rating also applies to demos provided on the Xbox Store.

Game add-ons and game add-on extensions for titles do not require a USK rating.

Note For digital games, a USK license can be used across platforms and is accepted for digital games on Xbox.

Example: A USK rating license for platform YYYY can be provided to be used on Xbox.

Disc games (full boxed product) must have a rating per platform, so a rating for Xbox 360 cannot be used for Xbox One; it must get a platform-specific rating license from the USK.

Rating-denied playable content

If playable content has been denied a rating from the USK, the playable content and all associated content (including trailers, gamer pictures, and themes) cannot be released in Germany.

Game add-ons and game add-on extensions for titles not released in Germany can be released as not rated.

Rating-pending playable content

If playable content has not been rated by the USK, some non-playable content offers can be released. This includes trailers, themes, gamer pictures, game add-ons, and game add-on extensions.

If non-playable content is released in Germany and the associated playable content is later denied a rating, the non-playable content, except game add-ons and game add-on extensions, will immediately be pulled from the German Xbox Store and will not be re-released unless the denial is changed.

On a rating-pending title, the publisher must inform Microsoft immediately if a rating

is denied.

• On rating-pending titles that are overtly likely to get a “rating denied,” Microsoft reserves the right to delay the release of non-playable content until there is an appropriate age rating.

For re-released titles (Arcade) that in the past have been put onto the “Index” of the BPjM (see below) in Germany, no downloads will be available in the German Xbox Store.

BPjM requirements

The BPjM index can be found at: http://www.bpjm.com/bpjmdotcom/.

Besides the USK, the games industry-driven rating board that has the official mandate from the competent federal states (“Laender”) to age-rate games on physical media storage devices, there is also a federal authority responsible for monitoring media content in Germany to protect children and adolescents: the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (Bundesprufstelle fur jugendgefahrdende Medien; “BPjM”).

If an object is deemed to be obviously harmful to minors, the BPjM will put it onto a “list of youth-endangering media” (“Liste jugendgefahrdender Medien”), generally referred to as the “Index.” In case of a severe danger to minors, the object does not need to be put onto the Index; the distribution restrictions will be effective regardless of the object’s Index status. For example, media with pornographic content are regularly considered to be obviously and severely harmful to minors.

The BPjM can only act on the request of other administrative institutions, not by itself. The German Youth Welfare Departments, among others, can file a complaint against an object.

BPjM does not offer a pre-rating procedure, preliminary rulings, or other procedures that would allow publishers to get a reliable opinion of BPjM before a market entry of a title.

If the BPjM decides to put a product onto the Index, the verdict will be announced in the official government information paper (“Bundesanzeiger”) as well as in the BPjM-publication “BPjM-Aktuell.” The author/distributor will receive the full verdict by letter.

As soon as the object has been put onto the Index, further distribution is restricted to people of legal age only. It is also prohibited to show incriminated content in teasers, trailers, or any other advertising context. Therefore, demos, trailers, or any other type of mention of the title will be excluded from Xbox Store customer access in Germany.

Arcade considerations

For Arcade titles that are faithful re-creations of older titles, the re-creations are automatically put on the Index if the original title is on the Index. For re-creations to be removed from the Index, the publisher must prove that the new versions differ significantly from the original indexed titles and must request a new examination of the re-creation by the competent rating body.

Microsoft cannot allow promotion or sale of those games into the German market unless the original title is removed from the Index or the competent rating body issues a valid age rating for the respective re-creation.

Enforcement and fines

German laws for the protection of youth carry severe penalties for distributing inappropriate content to minors or for promoting inappropriate content altogether. Infringements can constitute criminal offenses or trigger administrative fines.

There is an ongoing debate in Germany that might lead to a lawmaking process in which those rules might even be tightened. We will immediately inform you, if there is a need for an adoption of these guidelines. However, we do not predict any changes to these guidelines in the near future.

COB Australia / OFLC New Zealand

Regions: Australia, New Zealand

Table A-7. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (COB/OFLC).

Table A-8. COB ratings levels.

Table A-9. OFLC ratings levels.

Ratings verification

Ratings verification for all games and apps that have been rated by the COB are available at http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/find.nsf/Search?OpenForm.

Enforcement

The COB provides ratings by which enforcement agencies can bring legal proceedings against the Xbox Store. Quoted from the COB website:

Generally, the services of the Classification Board would only be sought where films, publications, or computer games have been seized and:

• The classification of a film, computer game or publication is unclear, i.e., an expert decision is required to determine whether or not a film, computer game, or publication is in the Refused Classification category because officers trained in classification within the enforcement agency consider it to be “borderline”; or
• The classification of material is required for prosecuting an offence under State and Territory Classification enforcement legislation, e.g., the sale of unclassified X 18+ or RC films.

New Zealand Film and Video Labeling Body requirements

It is necessary to submit a game to the New Zealand Film and Video Labeling Body (FVLB) for classification if any of the following conditions apply:

• The game has been classified as MA15+ in Australia.
• The game has been refused classification (banned) in Australia or Britain.
• The game has been classified as 15, 18, or R18 in Britain.
• The game has restricted content under New Zealand law.

Information and details are available at http://www.fvlb.org.nz/nz.

For games that the FVLB Classification Office has classified as restricted, the games must be displayed in accordance with the FVLB requirements relating to their display (which may include displaying a label).

DJCTQ

Region: Brazil

Table A-10. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (DJCTQ).

Table A-11. DJCTQ ratings levels.

Ratings process and verification

Ratings verification and rating process for games are available at http://portal.mj.gov.br/classificacao/data/Pages/MJ315FFD2FPTBRIE.htm.

Digital-only game products can use the self-rating process, whereby the use of a ESRB/PEGI rating to self-rate digital games. Please visit the DJCTQ website for additional guidance.

CERO

Region: Japan

Table A-12. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (CERO).

Table A-13. CERO ratings levels.

Ratings verification

Ratings verification for all games and apps that have been rated by the CERO are available at http://www.cero.gr.jp/search/.

Restriction for in-game content that is rated higher than the base game

Although the Xbox Store can now support in-game content that exceeds the rating of the base game, it is illegal to distribute such content to Japan. If you plan to create content that has a higher rating than the base game, please ensure that it will not be distributed to Japan. Business Operations will enforce this rule.

Regarding CERO Z trailers and demos

CERO does not allow CERO Z content to be distributed as part of a trailer or demo, even if the content is in line with the base game. This restriction is similar to the ESRB restriction regarding excessively violent content. Please ensure that you are not including Japan in the distribution regions for such content. The submission of a CERO Z trailer or demo will not be accepted for release to the Xbox Store.

Enforcement and fines

CERO conducts disciplinary meetings and levies fines for every violation.

GRAC, GRB, GCRB

Region: Korea

Table A-14. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (GRAC, GRB, GCRB).

There are multiple age rating agencies (GRAC, GRB, GCRB) in Korea that coexist and rate video games for release in that region. They use the same GRB age rating values: All, 12+, 15+, 18+. The subtle difference between them, is that GCRB rates content below 18+, and GRAC rates 18+ content.

More info:

• http://www.grb.or.kr/english/default.html
• http://www.grac.or.kr/english/enforcement/enforcement.aspx

As far as Xbox is concerned, we support age rating certificates from both agencies; however, it should be made clear that we only support the following GRB age rating values in the AppXManifest (not GRAC or GCRB rating values) for Xbox One:

• GRB:All
• GRB:12
• GRB:15
• GRB:18

18+ Arcade and Games on Demand games have been releasing on Xbox Live in Korea since December 2012, as users need to be 18+ to sign up for a user account in Korea. This is due to the changes effective since December 2012 to the Xbox Live service in Korea, which required all existing users and new Xbox Live users to verify their ID (including actual date of birth using I‑PIN) at http://xbox.com/ko-KR/verifyage. Users will verify their details in order to access the Xbox Live service in Korea, and this process has been added to the Xbox Live sign-up process for Korea. As a result of this addition, any customer under 18 will be unable to access Xbox Live.

For Xbox One, the settings enable the parent to age gate content versus ‘block or allow’ in Korea. Hence the publisher can choose to provide no rating and the content will be unrated with the highest restriction setting.

We support ratings for Korea as follows:

• Physical Packaging = GRB rating value
• Xbox Store Catalog = GRB rating value
• AppXManifest (for family settings) = GRB (if available) or unrated

Table A-15. GRB, GRAC, GRCB ratings levels.

Requirement for in-game content rated higher than the base game

If any in-game content offer exceeds the rating of the base game, the publisher is required to obtain a rating specific to that content offer.

Ratings verification

Ratings verification for all games and apps that have been rated by the GRB are available at http://www.grb.or.kr/search/search.php (Korean site).

Enforcement and fines

Fines can be levied up to a maximum of KRW 20,000,000 or penal servitude of two years per violation.

CSRR

Region: Taiwan

Adherence to CSRR (the Taiwan rating system) is mandatory for all titles and content released in Taiwan, both retail and digital. Publishers can submit the Taiwan rating document in the form of an ESRB/PEGI certificate or as a screenshot showing the CSRR rating from the Taiwan Game Rating government website.

All games are self-rated; that is, publishers are solely responsible for determining which ratings apply to their titles.

Publishers are reminded to register the Taiwan CSRR self-rating for their Xbox One titles on the Taiwan Game Rating government website before the title is released. The Taiwan self-rating form for inclusion with your Cert submission is available here.

Publishers that submit catalog listings before all game ratings have been determined are responsible for resubmitting the catalog listing when the game receives a rating from any of the other ratings boards. Updating a game set to “Unrated” is a temporary placeholder only.

If a new catalog listing is not submitted, Business Operations will have to remove the content from the Taiwan Xbox Store.

Note Content descriptors and disclaimers for CSRR are now required.

Local support is to contact a local agent who charges $100 USD per title. Partners will need to make contact directly and work out the arrangement with the agent as Microsoft is not involved in this transaction. Please contact Jeremy Chen (powerkub@msn.com).

Table A-16. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (CSRR).

Table A-17. CSRR ratings levels.

• The English version of the Taiwan rating regulations is available at http://www.gamerating.org.tw/gsgi_way.php.
• The English version for game registration is available at http://www.gamerating.org.tw/company_login.php.

PCBP

Region: Russia

Table A-18. Xbox Store ratings display requirements (PCBP).

Table A-19. PCBP ratings levels.

It is now acceptable for publishers to self-rate for PCBP, based on their PEGI rating, and provide the PEGI rating certificate with their Cert submissions.

Table A-20. Xbox One Age Rating Requirements Cheat Sheet.