Question 1

How do age ratings work on Xbox & Microsoft Store?

Accepted Answer

ESRB in the US (via IARC for digital apps), PEGI in Europe. In Xbox Family Settings or account.microsoft.com/family, set a content filter by age for each child. Games and apps rated above that age are blocked; your child can send a request you approve or decline. Games, apps and (in Microsoft Edge) websites above the age. It does not control chat inside an allowed game — that's a separate communication setting.

Question 2

How do age ratings work on PlayStation (PS5/PS4)?

Accepted Answer

ESRB in the Americas, PEGI in Europe. Each game also has a numbered parental-control level. PS5: choose an "Age level for games and apps" (by age, or "Age of this account" which updates yearly). PS4: system levels 1–11; lower = stricter. US mapping: 2 = EC, 3 = E, 4 = E10+, 5 = T, 9 = M, 10 = AO. Games above the level won't launch. Example from ESRB: age 9 allows E only; age 11 allows E and E10+. Online chat is separate.

Question 3

How do age ratings work on Nintendo Switch / Switch 2 & eShop?

Accepted Answer

ESRB in the Americas (via IARC for eShop), PEGI in Europe. Parental Controls app or console presets: Child, Pre-Teen, Teen, or Custom. Teen allows up to T. Child and Pre-Teen also restrict communicating with others and posting to social media. Software above the preset's rating; the presets also change communication settings.

Question 4

How do age ratings work on Steam (Valve)?

Accepted Answer

Steam shows developer-supplied content notices and some regional ratings, but there is no single age-rating system across the store. Steam Families: the adult chooses which games a child can play, can block the Store, Community and Friends chat, set playtime limits, and approve requests. Only what you set manually. Steam has no automatic "block games above rating X" filter.

Question 5

How do age ratings work on Epic Games Store?

Accepted Answer

Age ratings shown per game (regional system, e.g. ESRB in the US). Epic Parental Controls (protected by a 6-digit PIN) can require the PIN for purchases and downloads of games above a chosen rating. New purchases/downloads above the limit unless the PIN is entered.

Ratings shown	ESRB in the US (via IARC for digital apps), PEGI in Europe.
How parents set it	In Xbox Family Settings or account.microsoft.com/family, set a content filter by age for each child. Games and apps rated above that age are blocked; your child can send a request you approve or decline.
What the age setting blocks	Games, apps and (in Microsoft Edge) websites above the age. It does not control chat inside an allowed game — that's a separate communication setting.

Ratings shown	Steam shows developer-supplied content notices and some regional ratings, but there is no single age-rating system across the store.
How parents set it	Steam Families: the adult chooses which games a child can play, can block the Store, Community and Friends chat, set playtime limits, and approve requests.
What the age setting blocks	Only what you set manually. Steam has no automatic "block games above rating X" filter.

Age ratings on Consoles & PC stores: what each setting blocks

Xbox & Microsoft Store

PlayStation (PS5/PS4)

Nintendo Switch / Switch 2 & eShop

Steam (Valve)

Epic Games Store

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