Japan's CERO revises ratings system

by Ross Miller on Feb 20th 2006 6:30PM

GameIndustry.biz is reporting that Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), the Eastern equivalent to ESRB, has updated its ratings system to include a category similar to the Adults Only rating found in the US. The revised ratings system works as follows (the previous ratings system is shown to the right):

A: all ages.
B: ages 12 and older.
C: ages 15 and older.
D: ages 17 and older.
Z: ages 18 and older, as regulated by the government.

With the exception of the Z rating, all other ratings are voluntarily followed. The new system will reportedly take effect on March 1st. It would make an interesting case study to see how a Z rating would affect a game, and how often it is used, compared to the Adults Only rating seen in the United States.

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Reader Comments (4)

It would appear that the only category added is the "Cero 17" one, not the 18 and over category, as it's already in place.

That's definetly interesting. When you look at Japan as a whole, the have such a different moral approach to everything. I mean when you have machines that sell used girly underwear you just never know what to expect. :) (it's old so maybe they sell grannies panties now..)

http://www.photomann.com/japan/machines/

Also anime and manga are so mature that there is virtually no limit on what goes and what not. So where do they draw a line. My best guess is flat out porn. But violence will be more tolerated than say in the states. In Europe (where I live, Spain at the moment) we only hear some government speak up on games when there's an "imported" scandal, like with GTA for instance. Normally nobody watches or is regulating the sale of Adult rated games to youngsters.

I don't think that any country is better than the next because for the people who live there it's all perfectly normal but I am fascinated by Japan and even more so by what they find entertaining.

So let's see what games get Z rating. I hope it's not Mario for killing of innocent animals while trying to rescue someone who obviously doesn't want to get rescued...

I think i could tell the Difference Between the Giant Numbers, thankyou.

I'd say the "Z" rating wouldn't effect a game anymore than their current "18" rating does. Japan has hentai games aplenty, and chances are if you're not making a hentai game, there's no viable reason for you to put "Z" rated content in your game.