just a thought, I know is too late, but always might be interesting.

On many games (also on Oblivion) you could turn off blood in game settings. So going this way you could imagine that game can be bought in two versions: mature and teen.

When purchasing game someone could choose the version - same way as we put date of birth when entering ESO site. Even more when purchasing the decision could be more controlled so for example in country where it is forbidden to sell M-rated games to teens seller could simply choose right version.

In short game could be in two versions: ESO-M and ESO-T.

So when playing ESO-T:

- there could be very little blood

- no nudity

- gore could be simply made grey assuming it is some mud

- some textures could be "teened"

- spoken language could be also slightly modified - but it would be only in few small parts, some words could be simply cut off, so no big deal

Most of the above fixes are just in graphic.

Then just everybody would be happy - there would be one version for ESRB rating, that actually nobody buys - well may be then it would not make sense because there is no market loss coming from rating, but if there is loss, then someone could estimate how much and how much does it cost to prepare light version of ESO.

why bother, its not like the m-rating is going to stop 12 year old kids from playing the game if they really want to

yea, this is what I think, there is option, but it seems it does not make sense to do this way.

The changes involved will not be profitable enough to change.

IMO.

They got the M-rating for a reason so why not stick with it. It's not like it needs gore or nudity.

I like the idea, they were shooting for a teen rating anyway; so it wouldn't be that much work to remove/change the things that ESRB didn't like and put it in a different version.

As far as I know, there is no gore, nudity, language or anything even remotely "advlt" in this game. Wasn't it the drug references that caused the rating change? Skooma? lol. such a silly thing to brand a product "mature".

I think they might of put the M rating due to the context what might be said in the chat box. I played alot of MMOs and its the chat that makes it mature. You should see what some players talk about!!! It doesn't bother me. But some parents might not like what their kids see the subject of chat. As for parents turning off chat. A good computer wiz kid and turn it back on after parent leaves the room. Which is why they might of put the M rating for. As for blood and gore and possible nudity, maybe not.

Just my thought of why they might of put the M rating. I could be wrong so don't quote me.

A mature rating on this game will only slightly prevent younger kids from buying it. Most parents can only take so much [censored]ing from their kid before they eventually give into something so petty.

if that was the case then every multiplayer game would be rated M

The official M rating is for "Blood and Gore, sixual Themes, Use of Alcohol, and Violence," no mention of drug use.