Computer Entertainment Rating Organization facts for kids
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| Nonprofit organization | |
| Industry | Video game content rating system |
| Founded | June 2002 |
| Headquarters | Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan |
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Area served
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Japan |
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Key people
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Kazuya Watanabe |
The Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO) is a Japanese group that gives ratings to video game content. They are based in Tokyo, Japan. CERO helps players and parents know what kind of content is in a game and which age group it's best for. CERO was started in June 2002. It became an official nonprofit organization in Japan in December 2003.
CERO Rating Marks
Since March 1, 2006, CERO has used a special system to rate games. The symbols they use are letters like "A", "B", "C", "D", and "Z". These letters tell you if a game is right for certain ages.
CERO ratings are split into two main types: "age classification marks" and "other marks". The age marks are the five letters. You can find one of these marks on the bottom left of a game box. There's also a colored bar on the side of the box that matches the rating.
| Mark | Rating | What it Means |
|---|---|---|
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All Ages (全年齢対象, Zen nenrei taishō) | This game is suitable for everyone. It does not have content that is limited to certain ages. |
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Ages 12 and up (12才以上対象, Jūnisai ijō taishō) | This game is best for players aged 12 and older. It might have some content not suitable for younger kids. |
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Ages 15 and up (15才以上対象, Jūgosai ijō taishō) | This game is best for players aged 15 and older. It contains content that might not be suitable for younger teens. |
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Ages 17 and up (17才以上対象, Jūnanasai ijō taishō) | This game is for players aged 17 and older. It may have mature content. Younger players might need parent permission to buy these games. |
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Ages 18 and up only (18才以上のみ対象, Jūhassai ijō nomi taishō) | This game is only for players aged 18 and older. It has strong mature content. It is not allowed for anyone under 18 to buy these games. |
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Educational/Database (教育・データベース, Kyouiku Deetabeesu) | This special rating is for software that is not a game. It's for things like educational programs or databases on game consoles. |
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CERO Regulations-Compatible (規定適合, Kitei tekigō) | This rating is only for trial versions or demos of games. It means the demo follows CERO rules, but the full game might have different content. |
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Rating Scheduled (審査予定, Shinsa yotei) | This means the game has not yet received its final rating from CERO. You might see this on game trailers or ads before the game is released. |
Content Icons
Since April 2004, CERO also uses "content icons". These small pictures show why a game got its age rating. They tell you what kind of content is in the game. These icons are usually on the back of the game box. Games rated "A" or "Educational/Database" usually don't have these icons.
| Content Icon | What it Means |
|---|---|
 Love |
Shows romantic feelings or relationships. This can include kissing, hugging, or dating. |
 Violence |
Shows fighting or other violent actions. This might include characters getting hurt or other intense scenes. |
 Horror |
Contains scary or spooky elements. This can include ghosts, zombies, or moments meant to make you jump. |
 Gambling |
Shows activities like betting or games of chance. |
 Crime |
Shows illegal actions or bad behavior. This can include dangerous acts or organized crime. |
 Words/others |
Contains rude, disrespectful, or strong language. |
How Games Are Rated
CERO has a special way to decide a game's rating. A group of five regular people, who don't work in the game industry, assess each game. They are trained by looking at many past games.
The rating process checks for about 30 different types of content. Each type has a limit. If a game goes over that limit for certain content, it's called a "banned expression". There are also six types of content that are never allowed.
These content types are put into different groups. For example, "Violence expression type" includes violence and horror. "Antisocial act expression type" includes things like crime. "Language and ideology-related expression type" covers language.
Each type of content is rated using the A to Z scale. After the group finishes their review, their findings go to CERO's main office. The final rating is usually based on what most of the reviewers agreed on.
See also
In Spanish: Computer Entertainment Rating Organization para niños
