"The ESRB advised us that it has given The Elder Scrolls Online a Mature rating. 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. The game we have created is the one we want our fans to be able to play.

As a result of the ESRB rating, we are in the process of promptly updating everything with the required rating and age gates, including game trailers, web sites, and ads. Thanks for your understanding. We can’t wait to welcome players into The Elder Scrolls Online soon."

dont see how but okay ESRB you win

I'm glad they accepted the rating instead of frantically removing problematic content.

Wait...do you have a link?

Where'd they announce this?

I have to admit I'm surprised.

@Lep

ZOS is clearly surprised too. If anything that statement is proof that they were going for a T rating.

Agreed. I can kind of see how they came to an M rating, but those parts are very few and far between. I guess it doesn't much to push it over the edge from T.

Facebook is where I saw it.

I have the same questions...

People care about ratings? Hah, I never knew.

I don't.

Posted on the twitter account as well.

Link: https://twitter.com/TESOnline/statuses/426086797547175936

https://www.facebook.com/ElderScrollsOnline

they didnt post it on their site just social media

Sweet bring on the nudity lol..joking All joking aside though I guess I won't be letting my son play after all can't contribute to the delinquency of minors.

Well if its going to be mature anyway, I hope they actually up the mature content.

Add some more gore to Coldharbor and start calling Molag Bal by his proper name.

ratings do have the potential to effect the type of community that will form with the game. So yes i do care

or how about they just keep the game as is.

there was a huge stink from a small amount of people here that the game would be a failure if it was not M rated.

Well I don't really care that much. I'm fine with them not changing a thing.

But I do think compromises were made in the game for the sake of a T rating and if that's no longer possible, those compromises could/should be unmade.

Also, in before I start getting strawmanned:

I'm not asking for nudity, excessive blood, ect. I just think an M-rating gives them the chance to do a truer representation of certain aspects of the game, like Coldharbor. From what we've seen in videos, things are a bit more tame than they've been explained in past lore.

If this is the case, is there going to be a stipulation that requires the user to be 18 in order to register an account?

Sure, I know kids can easily lie about it, but it may weed out some, since they technically wont have their own credit cards, but may still get time cards.

All the single players TES games are rated "M" I am fine with that.

Just make sure I am reading this right:

From their Facebook site:

"we are unwilling to change the game’s content to achieve a different rating. "

So ESO is now (or will be) a mature game? (I hope so)

I out grew the "T" rated games for a long time now...

Think thier statement made it rather clear that if they are not willing to change their game to achieve a different rating, it wouldn't make sense for them to change their game to fit in their current rating.

I disagree.

Saying you're not willing to take stuff out isn't the same as not being willing to add things.

One enhances the experience and emotional connection to the game, the other detracts from it.

Well since it's now rated as M for god knows what reason, perhaps Zenimax should make use of it anyway and add gore and nudity.

Or they can stay mature.

I was one of the main guys who said this, and I'm damn glad I was wrong!

See...now this is not what I want.

I don't think there should be nudity and I don't think there should be gore for the sake of gore. "Mature" games should actually be mature. Adding advlt themes for no reason is actually pretty "Juvenile."

What I want is for those things to be there when appropriate so that we get a true representation of Tamriel.

Exactly, adding nudity and gore just because is just as childish as a T rating.

The theme is changing the game based on the ratings. They shouldn't change the game period. Would prefer them to keep making the game the way they have and not be swayed by some arbitrary letters on the front of the game box.