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What is the goal ESRB Rating

I'm excited about the game and I want to convince my wife and daughter to play with me (we've been talking about having a family game night). My question is what is the goal ESRB for AoC? My daughter would be around 8 or 9 if the game has a 2020 release. From what I can tell the game looks "Teen" to me but story content may be another problem (just like Elder Scrolls often seems Teen but deals with Mature story elements). Thanks for any insight!

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    Teen is probably the level it will receive but that will only cover game content and the level of violence or gore depicted, possible suggestive themes etc. But People these days tend to be worse than the game itself. 
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    I'm kinda with @Argentdawn in that it's the toxic chat that should worry you and not the game itself.
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    I'm with the two posters above.

    If the game allows you to turn off global chat channels, and if you avoid grouping with players you don't know (both things I'm sure you'd do anyway), then I don't see there being any real issues.
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    The goal of the ESRB is to provide cover for people who allow their  young children to play mmos, and then get offended. "My 8 yo was pwnin noobs and decided to take a break from trash talking and do some pve, she took that quest that has those two females married to each other. What is next? We are offended that this option is allowed in your game. We had to stop our kid from teabagging people for a day and explain about same sex marriage. Rabble, rabble, rabble!"

    "Thank you for your input, but the ESRB and TOS clearly state a minimum age of 16."

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    ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited May 2018
    ESRB and such ratings are obsolate and 100% meaninglesh nowdays.
    They had impact in the past when games used to be sold as a physical copy, but nowdays it holds no power.

    Nevertheless ESRB (and similar companies) founded and paid by big gaming companies, so they prettymuch do whathever they say to them, so anyone who believes in them is dumb.

    Well in the first place, anyone who think that he's child will going to have any problem, or will grow up worse cause a game, is delusional.
    A game have minimal impact on a kid. You sure can hide the "bad" things from him, but it will only going to cause bigger isuess the longer you hide it from them.
    Althroug it's the easier way...

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    ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited May 2018
    No ESRB (i hope)
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    The chat would be the biggest problem for a child to play a game like this, there is always some toxic players here and there.
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    There's taverns, so safe to say drinking is in the game. Also "fantasy violence" and killing is a big part if it. Honestly, nothing kids aren't exposed to just being alive and consuming media. It's the interaction with others that should be your biggest concern. I'm assuming there will be a chat filter, and with some clear boundaries set, I wouldn't see why an 8-9yr old couldn't play this game with their parents.

    Just don't be the super militant censor Gestapo. Focus on actions you can control like play time of your daughter and what groups she's playing with. 

    I saved all the emails I got from Blizzard that stated along the lines"This is a warning. You were reported saying "ass" in Trade Chat" by angry parents who went through the trouble of turning off the chat filter (it's default on) so they could police chat "for the kids".

    Frankly, if you're worried about game content, I wouldn't. I'd be more focused on whether you want her exposed to meme, dick butt jokes and likely bad Chuck Norris references by other players.
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    Oh I have been waiting for this day 


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    You bring up a good point but I'd say her school playground may be just as toxic rofl! It's sad how nasty kids can be these days. When I was a kid in the 80s and 90s the worst thing we got into was a literal console war  :D 
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    ArchivedUserArchivedUser Guest
    edited May 2018
    Holibrae said:
    You bring up a good point but I'd say her school playground may be just as toxic rofl! It's sad how nasty kids can be these days. When I was a kid in the 80s and 90s the worst thing we got into was a literal console war  :D 
    No yu-gi-oh cards vs Pokemon cards, or is was that only later on? ;D
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    Holibrae said:
    You bring up a good point but I'd say her school playground may be just as toxic rofl! It's sad how nasty kids can be these days. When I was a kid in the 80s and 90s the worst thing we got into was a literal console war  :D 
    No yu-gi-oh cards vs Pokemon cards, or is was that only later on? ;D
    Ah good memories 
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    Holibrae said:
    You bring up a good point but I'd say her school playground may be just as toxic rofl! It's sad how nasty kids can be these days. When I was a kid in the 80s and 90s the worst thing we got into was a literal console war  :D 
    No yu-gi-oh cards vs Pokemon cards, or is was that only later on? ;D
    At my school it was playing Pogs for keeps... so maybe a few years earlier than Pokemon cards. We got Magic cards first and then Pokemon came out when we were in Jr. High.
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    Regardless of the rating, you as a parent can determine what your child will learn and how she is effected by the game.  You spoke of a game "family night",  how much better can it get?  Children learn well when guided in the right direction.   I taught to young boys GOOD gaming manners and how to choose good people to hang with in games.   Not only did they learn good social habits by example, they learned many things, such as patience, map reading comprehension and problem solving.  

    Guide them and they will surprise you.  
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    What @CylverRayne says is the best advice you can take with any game. If you spend time with them in the game which it sounds like you are then you should have no problems. 
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    Holibrae said:
    You bring up a good point but I'd say her school playground may be just as toxic rofl! It's sad how nasty kids can be these days. When I was a kid in the 80s and 90s the worst thing we got into was a literal console war  :D 
    No yu-gi-oh cards vs Pokemon cards, or is was that only later on? ;D
    Oh man you just took me back 5 years. (Yu-gi-oh was always the better one. Change my mind)

    Yeah i'd be more worried about the in game chat than the game content. That being said, i'm not that guy, but the moment you mention a young age you will have people trying to take advantage of you. Also open world pvp is a thing and betrayal is also a thing. Being stolen from and betrayed is not something i'd like to teach my daughter at early ages if i had one
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    I wonder if there would be a possibility to separate two different age groups, yet allow them to play together. One way this could be done is only allowing voice and text chat at a 16+ age range, whereas <16 would be overshadowed with a voice-chat block and either heavily-censored chat, or simply only allowing pre-made text choices (something like RuneScape). 

    That is, if it is AoC's goal to be able to target a much larger age range and also have the opportunity to cultivate a younger player base which will undoubtedly become adult customers that have grown up with the game and continue to pay the monthly membership fee.
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    Rated G, the game will come with a coloring book thats what i heard from PAX
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    Most likely T 
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    No one enforces them and no one cares. I personally don't like seeing kids buy teen and mature games but the gamestop and best buy employees don't care.

    It'll probably be T because of boooooooze in taverns and violence cuz game
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    Loyheta said:
    No one enforces them and no one cares. I personally don't like seeing kids buy teen and mature games but the gamestop and best buy employees don't care.

    It'll probably be T because of boooooooze in taverns and violence cuz game
    Indeed, and I agree with that. I realize the more "mature" aspect of the game will be the community and my goal would be to have my daughter playing alongside a "family friendly" guild. I suppose my concern is with the true assets and content of the game. For instance Age of Conan had impaled heads on spikes, upper torso nudity for female avatars and so forth. I'm not against anything like that at all but just curious how "dark" or not the game will be. We've already dabbled with fantasy games together so she knows about combat, magic and monsters. I watch Game of Thrones (on my own of course lol) and I just wouldn't be comfortable if AoC portrayed that level of violence.

    For instance EverQuest (1 and 2), World of Warcraft and even Star Wars the Old Republic would be fully acceptable to me in regards to her playing. It's the Age of Conan, example that concerns me.

    From what I can tell of the game in screenshots and videos it looks like they're going for the "teen" rating you mentioned which excites me because that looks great to me!

    Also just to quickly state, I'm not interested in trying to influence the direction of the game or even to suggest that steps be taken to sensor it (not that I have that power at all in any fashion). My initial post was purely of an inquisitive nature and I appreciate the feedback from everyone  :)
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