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The is a Japanese entertainment rating organization

Organization

An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...

based in Tokyo. rating video game content in console games with levels of rating that informs the customer of the nature of the product and for what age group it is suitable. It was established on July 2002 as a branch of Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association

Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association

Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association is a Japanese organization that was established in 1996 to "promote the computer entertainment industry [...] with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of Japanese industry as well as to the further enrichment of people's lifestyles." It...

, and became an officially recognized non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

on 2003. Personal computer game

Personal computer game

A PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...

s (including dating sim

Dating sim

Dating sims are a video game subgenre of simulation games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. They are also sometimes put under the category of neoromance. The most common objective of dating sims is to date, usually choosing from among several characters, and to achieve a romantic...

s, dōjin soft

Dojin soft

, also sometimes called , are video games created by Japanese hobbyists or hobbyist groups , more for fun than for profit; essentially, the Japanese equivalent of independent video games. Most of them are based on pre-existing material, but some are entirely original creations...

, eroge

Eroge

An or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...

, and visual novel

Visual novel

A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...

s) are rated by a different organization, the Ethics Organization of Computer Software (EOCS).

Rating

On March 1, 2006, CERO implemented the latest revision of its ratings system. The symbols that CERO uses are stylized depictions of letters, meant to convey at a glance, a game's suitability for minors:

A (all ages).

B (ages 12 and up).

C (ages 15 and up).

D (ages 17 and up).

Z (ages 18 and up only). The content is extreme in the CERO impact levels and therefore off-limits to persons under 18.

Cultural differences between ratings are very common, and games can receive different ratings in different countries. For example, the games God Hand
God Hand
God Hand is a 2006 PlayStation 2 gameGod hand may also refer to:-Video games:* Ken "Godhand" Mishima, a character from the PlayStation game, Ehrgeiz* Godhand, the demonic version of Lenny from Shadow Hearts: Covenant...

, Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...

, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, originally released in Japan as simply , is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for Sony's PlayStation 2, and chronologically the fifth installment in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series. Persona 4 was released in Japan in July 2008, North...

and Samurai Shodown: Sen were all rated B by the CERO, which would technically give them T (13+) ratings in North America. However, they were all rated M (17+ - CERO D rating) by the ESRB, a difference of two grades. A more prominent example is Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
is a role-playing game for the PlayStation 2. It is the third main game in the Megami Tensei series. Shin Megami Tensei III was released nine years after Shin Megami Tensei II, and was the first Megami Tensei game in the series to be released into the United States using the "Megami Tensei" name...

, which was rated A (all ages) by CERO but M (17+) by the ESRB, a difference of three grades.

Some ratings, however, are consistent, such as No More Heroes
No More Heroes (video game)
, is an action video game for the Wii video game system. It was directed by Goichi Suda , developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Marvelous Entertainment Inc., Ubisoft and Rising Star Games...

which is rated M by the ESRB, D by the CERO and 16 by the PEGI. Also, some games may be partially censored to eliminate some of the more mature themes in the games' content, such as the aforementioned No More Heroes.

Ratings are often printed on the packaging of video games. The Z classification is the only rating which is regulated by law.

Contents descriptor icons

In April 2004, CERO defined the following "content descriptor icons". These icons are displayed on the back of all packages except on those rated "A".

Contents descriptor	Examples	Corresponding ratings
Love Love Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...	Tokimeki Memorial series Tokimeki Memorial (series) is a popular dating simulation series by Konami. It consists of 6 main games in addition to a large number of spin-offs. The games are notable in the dating sim genre for being highly nonlinear. Their nickname amongst their fans is the contraction TokiMemo.... , Memories Off series Memories Off is the title of a series of Japanese romance visual novel video games released by KID. The first game in the series, simply called Memories Off, was released in 1999 for the PlayStation. Memories Off titles have been released on the PC as well as video and handheld gaming consoles such as the... , Angelique series Angelique (Japanese series) ' is a video game series. Currently, the series has only been released in Japan, with the exception of a Chinese PC version of the first game in the series. It is somewhat popular with overseas import gamers, who have started petitions in the hopes of English-translated releases of various games in... , Starry Sky series, Uta no Prince-sama series Uta no Prince-sama is a 2010 Japanese dating game series targeted towards female gamers published by Broccoli. The game has been adapted into manga and anime series.- Plot :... , LovePlus LovePlus is a dating sim developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. Released on September 3, 2009 only in Japan.-Characters:Protagonist -Love Plus +:... , Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life - CS Edition, Little Busters!: Converted Edition Little Busters! is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key which was originally released, rated for everyone as a limited edition version, on July 27, 2007 playable on a Windows PC; a regular edition, also rated for everyone, followed on September 28, 2007. Little Busters! is Key's sixth game, along with other... , Amagami Amagami , is a Japanese dating simulation game for the PlayStation 2 and the spiritual successor to KimiKiss, both which were developed and published by Enterbrain. Amagami was released on March 19, 2009... , Tears to Tiara: Kakan no Daichi Tears to Tiara Tears to Tiara is a Japanese eroge tactical role-playing game developed by Leaf. It was first released for PC on April 28, 2005 in Japan. Then it was followed by 12 years old and up version released for the PlayStation 3 platform on July 17, 2008 in Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in which the... , Shining Hearts Shining Hearts is a role-playing game developed and published by SEGA. It is the first Shining game to be released for the PlayStation Portable and is the third with characters designed by Tony Taka, the other two being Shining Tears and Shining Wind... , Final Fantasy XIII Final Fantasy XIII is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series... , Mass Effect 2 Mass Effect 2 Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011... , The Sims 3 The Sims 3 The Sims 3 is a 2009 strategic life simulation computer game developed by The Sims Studio and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims 2. It was first released on June 2, 2009 simultaneously for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows...	B, C, D
Sexual content Human sexuality Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...	The Idolmaster series, Arcana Heart series Arcana Heart is a 2D arcade fighting game series developed by Examu Inc. . The first edition was released to arcades in late 2006... , Dead or Alive series, Dream Club Dream Club is a dating sim video game developed and published by D3 Publisher for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation Portable. The game is basically a Japanese hostess game where the player gets drunk with the hostess while trying to gain her favor... , GalGun, Air, Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru , commonly known as , is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Caramel Box and released on January 28, 2005 as a limited edition playable on a Microsoft Windows PC... , To Heart 2, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan! Doki Doki Majo Shinpan! is a game developed by SNK Playmore for Nintendo DS.A game journalist from the gaming blog Kotaku asked an SNK spokesperson if this game would be released in the US, and the response was "...this title is only for Japanese market. We do not have any plan for localize to the other versions.",... , Duel Love Duel Love Duel Love（デュエルラブ恋する乙女は勝利の女神） is a Japanese otome video game for the Nintendo DS by Namco Bandai Games. It was released on 13 March 2008. The story concerns a female protagonist who becomes friends with the members of her high school's boxing club... , Soulcalibur IV Soulcalibur IV is the fourth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on July 29, 2008, in North America, on July 31, 2008, in Japan, Europe, and Australia, and on August 1, 2008, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.The game is notable for... , Record of Agarest War Record of Agarest War , known in Europe as Agarest: Generations of War, is a strategy role-playing game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles. The game is a collaboration between Idea Factory, Red Entertainment and Compile Heart. An updated port of the game was released in Japan for the Xbox 360 on... , Dance Evolution, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift BlazBlue: Continuum Shift is a 2-D fighting game developed by Arc System Works. The game is the official sequel to BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. As with the previous game, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift first came to arcades before both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions as the game was currently released for the Taito Type... , Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy is a 2011 fighting game published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was developed by the company's 1st Production Department... , Ar tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel*	B, C, D
Violence Violence Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...	The King of Fighters series, Metal Slug series, Dynasty Warriors series Dynasty Warriors is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,... , Metal Gear series Metal Gear Metal Gear is a series of video games.Metal Gear may also refer to:Metal Gear , bipedal tanks appearing in the Metal Gear series-Metal Gear video game series:... , Castlevania series Castlevania Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System , followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2 platform on October 30... , Resident Evil series, Monster Hunter series Monster Hunter Monster Hunter is an action game for the PlayStation 2. The game was developed and published by Capcom. Monster Hunter was released in North America on September 21, 2004... , Gears of War series Gears of War (series) Gears of War is a science fiction video game franchise created and owned by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Studios. The three games that currently make up the series take place on the fictional planet Sera and focus on a war between humans and creatures known as Locust... , Halo series Halo (series) Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant... , Call of Duty series Call of Duty Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in 2003. It is the first game in a series with the same name. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. The game is based on the Quake III: Team Arena engine... , God of War series God of War (series) God of War is a series of action-adventure video games based on Greek mythology.The main trilogy—God of War I, II, & III—in the series were developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division , with Ready at Dawn Studios developing the PSP and Javaground the mobile phone installment... , WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series*, Fate/unlimited codes Fate/Unlimited Codes Fate/unlimited codes is a fighting game planned by Cavia and developed by Eighting and published by Capcom. It is based on the visual novel Fate/stay night. It was released for the arcades in Japan on June 11, 2008 and for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on December 18, 2008... , Steins;Gate Steins;Gate is a Japanese visual novel developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus, and was released on October 15, 2009 for the Xbox 360. This is the two companies' second time collaborating together after Chaos;Head. A port to the Windows operating system on the PC was released on August 26, 2010 and a port for Sony's... , Umineko no Naku Koro ni: Majo to Suiri no Rondo Umineko no Naku Koro ni is a Japanese murder mystery dōjin soft visual novel series produced by 07th Expansion. The first game in the series, Legend of the Golden Witch, was first released at Comiket 72 on August 17, 2007 playable on the PC; the game sold out in thirty minutes... , Bayonetta Bayonetta is a hack and slash action game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 developed by Platinum Games in cooperation with publisher Sega. Set in a fictional city in Europe, the game centers on its title character, Bayonetta, who uses pistols and magical attacks to defeat enemies... , The 3rd Birthday The 3rd Birthday is an action role-playing game develpoed HexaDrive and published by Square Enix. The game was made for the PlayStation Portable and marks the third entry in the Parasite Eve series...	B, C, D, Z
Horror Horror fiction Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...	LifeSigns: Surgical Unit LifeSigns: Surgical Unit is an adventure game for the Nintendo DS set in a hospital. This is the second game in a series that redefined the sim genre to make way for other medical games games such as Trauma Center: Under The Knife... , Fatal Frame Fatal Frame Fatal Frame, known as Project Zero in the PAL region, and Zero Zero in Japan, is a survival horror video game series consisting of four installments and a spin-off. The first and second games in the series were released for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox, the third has been released for the... , xxxHolic, Theresia, Ju-on: The Grudge Ju-on: The Grudge (video game) Ju-on: The Grudge—Haunted House Simulator, known in Japan as titled Ju-On: The Grudge—A Fright Simulator in Europe, is a first-person graphic adventure video game developed for the Wii game device. It is an adaptation of the Japanese horror film series Ju-on directed by Takashi Shimizu, who also... , Calling Calling (video game) Calling, or in Japan, is a survival horror video game developed by Hudson Soft exclusively for the Wii console. The game was released in Japan on November 29, 2009 and in North America on March 9, 2010.-Plot:... , Alan Wake Alan Wake Alan Wake is a story-driven action game in the psychological thriller genre, developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Microsoft Game Studios, released for the Xbox 360 video game console in 2010...	B, C
Gambling Gambling Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...	Yakuza series Yakuza (series) Yakuza is a Fighting game video game franchise created by Amusement Vision and owned and published by Sega.The series has sold at least 3.2 million copies as of March 2009... , Jake Hunter series, 81diver 81diver is a manga written by Yokusaru Shibata. It is currently serialized in Weekly Young Jump, published by Shueisha. It is aired as drama series from May 3, 2008 starring Junpei Mizobata and Riisa Naka... , Midnight Club: Los Angeles Midnight Club: Los Angeles Midnight Club: Los Angeles is the fourth video game in the Midnight Club series of racing video games, not including Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix. It was officially announced for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on January 11, 2008 by Rockstar Games. The game was developed by Rockstar San Diego... , Bully Bully (video game) Bully, also known as Canis Canem Edit for the PAL PlayStation 2 version, is an open world video game released by Rockstar Vancouver for the PlayStation 2 on 17 October 2006 in North America, and 25 October 2006 in the United Kingdom... , Way of the Samurai 4 Way of the Samurai 4 is a video game developed by Acquire and published by Spike for the PlayStation 3. It is the sequel to the game Way of the Samurai 3. The game offers a mix of story, combat and event scenes, just like past entries...	C, D
Crime Crime Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...	Grand Theft Auto series Grand Theft Auto (series) Grand Theft Auto is a multi-award-winning British video game series created in the United Kingdom by Dave Jones, then later by brothers Dan Houser and Sam Houser, and game designer Zachary Clarke. It is primarily developed by Edinburgh based Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games... , Assassin's Creed series Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of... , Burnout series Burnout (series) Burnout is a series of high-speed racing games for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo GameCube game consoles. Also, for the very first time, a PC version of the latest installment in the series, Burnout Paradise, has been released... , Cross Channel Cross Channel Cross Channel is an adult visual novel developed by Flying Shine for the Windows and PlayStation 2 platforms. The Windows version was released on September 26, 2003, and the PS2 version on March 18, 2004... , Chaos;Head Noah Chaos;Head , stylized as ChäoS;HEAd, is a Japanese visual novel developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus that was released on April 25, 2008 for the PC. A port of the game, named , for the Xbox 360 console was released on February 26, 2009. The game is described by the development team as a... , The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series... , Radiant Historia Radiant Historia is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for the Nintendo DS. The game's development team mostly consists of Atlus staff who previously worked on Megami Tensei games like Persona 3, Strange Journey, Nocturne and the Etrian Odyssey series. The development team also includes... , No More Heroes No More Heroes (video game) , is an action video game for the Wii video game system. It was directed by Goichi Suda , developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Marvelous Entertainment Inc., Ubisoft and Rising Star Games... , Test Drive Unlimited Test Drive Unlimited Test Drive Unlimited is an arcade-style racing game, the 9th game of the Test Drive series, it features over 125 licensed sports cars and motorcycles and a terrain modeled after the Hawaiian island of Oahu that features some 1000 miles of roads and highways. Test Drive Unlimited is the ninth main... , Batman: Arkham Asylum Batman: Arkham Asylum Batman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman developed for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment... , Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles and the Microsoft Windows operating system. Officially announced on February 11, 2009, the game was released worldwide on... , Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010 video game) Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a BAFTA Award–winning 2010 racing video game in the Need for Speed series developed by British games developer Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for iOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360. The Wii version was developed by Exient... , Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire L.A. Noire L.A. Noire is a 2011 crime video game developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar Games. It was released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows. It was released as a 3-disc game for the Xbox 360 console, which prompts the player to switch to another disc at certain points in the... , Alice: Madness Returns Alice: Madness Returns Alice: Madness Returns is a video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 released on June 14, 2011, in North America, June 16, 2011, in Europe and June 17, 2011, in the United Kingdom. It is the sequel to the 2000 Windows and Mac video game American McGee's Alice...	B, C, D, Z
Use of alcohol Alcohol In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms.... or tobacco Tobacco Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines... (of minor Minor (law) In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18... )	Machi: Unmei no Kousaten Machi (video game) Machi is a visual novel adventure game developed and published by Chunsoft and released exclusively in Japan for the Sega Saturn in 1998 and then for the Sony PlayStation in 1999... , Happiness! De:Luxe Happiness! is a Japanese adult visual novel originally for the PC first released on October 21, 2005, and followed by the release of a fan-disk sequel Happiness! Re:Lucks on July 28, 2006. Both games were developed, produced, and published by Windmill... , Nanatsuiro Drops Pure!! Nanatsuiro Drops is a Japanese visual novel developed by UNiSONSHIFT and released on April 21, 2006. The first version, available on the PC, contains adult-only content. A version ported to the PlayStation 2 by MediaWorks was released without this content on September 20, 2007... , Days of Memories 2 Days of Memories Days of Memories is a series of dating sims that SNK Playmore has been making for cell phones since 2005. They have recently released a compilation of the first three games for the Nintendo DS, with new graphics and an extra viewing mode.-Summary:The games are dating sims starring SNK, ADK, and... , Taishō Yakyū Musume: Otome Tachi no Seishun Nikki Taisho Baseball Girls is a popular light novel series written by Atsushi Kagurazaka and illustrated by Sadaji Koike. Tokuma Shoten has published two novels as of November 2008. The novels have been adapted to a drama CD, a manga series currently being published in Monthly Comic Ryū, and a TV anime series aired in 2009... , Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is a video game produced by Konami and Kojima Productions that was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2010. Peace Walker is the fourth Metal Gear title for the PSP, although it is only the second to be considered part of the series' main canon, following Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops...	C, D
Use of drugs Psychoactive drug A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that crosses the blood–brain barrier and acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it affects brain function, resulting in changes in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior...	Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance, Imabikisō Imabikiso is a visual novel developed by Chunsoft for the PlayStation 3. It is the first visual novel to be released on a seventh generation console. The game imagery consists mostly of static or animated photographs, though live-action clips scattered throughout.... , 428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de, Clannad, Togainu no Chi: True Blood Togainu no Chi is a Japanese BL visual novel created by Nitro+CHiRAL. The plot centers on Akira, a young man who was made to participate in a deadly game called "Igura" in post-apocalyptical Japan in exchange for being freed from jail. His goal is to beat "Il Re" , the strongest person in Igura... , Trauma Team Trauma Team Trauma Team, known in Japan as is a video game for the Wii console. The game is part of the Trauma Center series by Atlus. The game was released on May 18, 2010 in North America.... , Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (PSP version), Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2 - Innocent Sin (PSP version) Persona 2 is a two-part series of Japanese console role-playing games for the Sony PlayStation, developed by Atlus. and are two chapters of the same storyline...	B, C
Language Profanity Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The... or other	Kanon Kanon is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and originally released as an adult game on June 4, 1999, playable on a Microsoft Windows PC. An all ages version for the PC was released in January 2000, and was later ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable... , School Days L×H School Days (visual novel) is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by 0verflow and published by Stack, and was originally released for the PC on April 28, 2005. It was subsequently released as a DVD TV game by Stack, followed by an all-ages port titled School Days L×H published by Interchannel for the PlayStation 2, in... , Ōkami Kakushi Ōkami Kakushi is a Japanese visual novel developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation Portable, with Ryukishi07 of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni fame as game director and the manga author duo Peach-Pit as character designers. The game was released on August 20, 2009 in Japan... , Baroque Baroque (video game) Baroque is a console role-playing game developed by Sting Entertainment and published by Atlus in the United States, originally developed for the Sega Saturn and later ported to the PlayStation. It was later remade by Sting, where it was to be a planned exclusive for Japan... , Valkyria Chronicles Valkyria Chronicles is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in 2008.The game is set in Europa, loosely based on Europe in 1935... , Tales of Vesperia Tales of Vesperia is the tenth main title in the Tales series. It was developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. The title was announced on December 22, 2007 at Jump Festa, and was released on August 7, 2008 in Asia, and on August 26, 2008 in North America... , Star Ocean: The Last Hope Star Ocean: The Last Hope is an action role-playing video game developed by tri-Ace and Square Enix who also published the game, initially only for the Xbox 360, and the fourth installment in the Star Ocean series. Famitsu revealed that the battle system featured four party members, and was more team-oriented... , Resonance of Fate Resonance of Fate Resonance of Fate, known in Japan as , is a console role-playing game developed by tri-Ace and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was released on January 28, 2010 in Japan, on March 16, 2010 in North America and on March 26, 2010 in Europe.-Gameplay:Resonance of Fate... , Siren: Blood Curse Siren: Blood Curse Siren: Blood Curse, known in Japan as Siren: New Translation, is a stealth-based survival horror video game and the third installment in the Siren video game series... , Heavy Rain Heavy Rain Heavy Rain is an interactive drama psychological thriller video game created by Quantic Dream exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The game is written and directed by Quantic Dream's founder and CEO David Cage.... , Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is a video game developed by IO Interactive, published by Eidos Interactive under Square Enix available on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to Kane & Lynch: Dead Men...	B, C, D

Previous ratings

The ratings for video games in Japan prior to March 2006 are:

All ages replaced by A
12 and older replaced by B
15 and older replaced by C
18 and older replaced by D and Z

The primary difference between the two rating systems was the inclusion of the "17 and older" rating, due to the large gap between the "15 and up" and "18 and up" ratings.

Other ratings

equivalent to ESRB's eC ratings. equivalent to ESRB's RP ratings. is displayed in demo version.

Process

According to Kazuya Watanabe, CERO's senior director, the group of assessors is composed of three "regular [Japanese] people, unaffiliated with the game industry". They are trained by rating past games. The ratings process is determined by 30 different types of content ranging from sexual content to violence. In addition six types of content are not allowed. Each content is rated using the A to Z scale that the labels use. After the group evaluates the game, the results are sent to CERO's main office where the final rating attempts to use the majority of the evaluators' ratings.

Scandals and Controversy

One month after the initial release of Atelier Meruru: The Alchemist of Arland 3

Atelier Meruru: The Alchemist of Arland 3

is a Japanese console role-playing game developed by Gust. It was released for PlayStation 3 on June 23, 2011 in Japan. Atelier Meruru is the thirteenth installment in the Atelier series, and it continues the series' emphasis on item creation and synthesis...

, shipments of it were halted due to it having been mis-rated. It was re-released a few days later with a B rating from CERO. Its A (All Ages) rating was revoked and it was given a B (Ages 12+) rating instead, due to some heavily sexual scenes featured in-game. One of these features several characters in a hot spring with their genitalia barely covered (ie. hidden by towels and heavy steam effects). There are also some cleavage shots and see-through articles of clothing throughout the game. The in-game camera can be manuevered to view female characters' undergarments. The game was originally rating for all ages due to Gust Corporation allegedly not providing them with complete content of the game to review.

External links

Official Japanese CERO Website