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ESRB set to drop short form rating for digital games in June

Games developers will still have a free option with IARC

ESRB set to drop short form rating for digital games in June

The Entertainment Software Rating Board has confirmed that developers of digital games will still be able to acquire free ratings.

American ratings board ESRB is phasing out its short form application process for digital games.

The short questionnaire automatically generated ratings for digitally released titles for free - allowing small teams to release games online without the lengthy, expensive process required by console manufacturers to release physically.

G-rate news

In lieu of the old process, developers can now acquire free ratings for digital software through the International Age Rating Coalition.

Right now, an IARC rating is acceptable on the Microsoft Store, Oculus Store, Nintendo eShop and Google Play; the PlayStation store will accept them at a later date.

Steam currently doesn’t require ratings to sell games, while Amazon and Apple stores are likely to continue their own internal ratings.

You can read the full story over at our sister-site PCGamesInsider.biz.

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Staff Writer

Natalie Clayton is an Edinburgh-based freelance writer and game developer. Besides PCGamesInsider and Pocketgamer.biz, she's written across the games media landscape and was named in the 2018 GamesIndustry.biz 100 Rising Star list.