Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
North America's Self-Regulatory Video Game Age Classification System
Established in 1994 following intense US Congressional hearings on video game violence, the ESRB is the independent self-regulatory body assigning age and content ratings in North America.
Congressional Hearings and the Threat of Federal Censorship
In late 1993, US Senators Joe Lieberman and Herb Kohl threatened direct federal regulation over graphic digitized violence in Mortal Kombat and Night Trap. To avert government censorship, rival publishers including Nintendo, Sega, Acclaim, and EA united to form the IDSA (now the ESA) and established the ESRB as an autonomous self-regulatory ratings system in 1994.
Rating Mechanics and the Commercial Stigma of 'AO'
Through a blind panel evaluation system of submitted gameplay footage, the ESRB provided clear age brackets and content descriptors for parents. While 'M' (Mature) became standard for blockbuster adult action, an 'AO' (Adults Only) badge remains an effective commercial death sentence, as major console makers and major US retailers prohibit its carriage.