Tips for submitting apps in markets that require an age rating

[Guest Bernardo Zamora]

Windows Phone adoption is growing around the world, and as mentioned in my Windows Store trends blog, many of these countries or markets have organizations that have defined a content or age rating system that indicates the suitability of the app for certain age groups. In some markets these ratings are optional, but in a few markets, every game or app requires a rating to be able to be published in that market.

These age ratings are typically based on content and features, and their goal is to help users in that market understand if the app or game is appropriate for them. To the left is an example of how a user in the United States would see an ESRB game rating in the details of a game in the Windows Store.

 

 

Both Windows and Windows Phone support age ratings, and in this blog I will share guidance and ideas to help your apps be published in the markets that have age ratings, with specific instructions on how to submit your game to those markets.

Age ratings overview

 

 

Both the Windows and Windows Phone stores support age ratings from multiple ratings bodies.

Different countries and regions have different age ratings standards and bodies. For example:

• The United States uses Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings
  
• Most of Europe uses Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) ratings
  
• Japan uses Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO) ratings
  

 

All of these ratings bodies have established standards for each rating level within their system, and assign ratings based on these guidelines. Furthermore, in addition to assigning a rating, most ratings bodies also provide a rating certificate (in PDF or similar format) to serve as record of your rating. To submit an app with an age rating from a third-party ratings board, you will need both a rating value and a rating certificate.

Windows Store additionally has an age rating system applicable to every single app and game distributed through the Windows Store. All apps must be rated by the developer, whether or not they obtain a third-party rating. We’ll talk more about that later in this post.

Summary of the process

 

 

To submit a game for markets where ratings are required, follow these steps:

• Obtain a rating and the rating certificate or documentation
  
• Windows Phone Store: Submit your game, and in the metadata include select the rating for each market and upload the rating certificates. Then make sure the market or markets are selected as one where your app will be published to.
  
• Windows Store: Create a single GDF file with all the ratings for the game, submit the app, submit the single GDF file with all the ratings, and upload the rating certificates. Then make sure the market or markets are selected as one where your app will be published to.
  

 

Does your app need an age rating?

In most markets, age ratings are optional, though in some they are required; if you want to publish an app in a market with required age ratings, make sure the market is selected when publishing the app, and read further to learn how to add the age rating.

The table below shows the 4 markets where either Windows or Windows Phone require an age rating for submission—Brazil, Russia, Korea, and Taiwan—as well as the additional supported markets where an age rating is optional but recommended as a best practice. Starting this month, South Africa does not require an age rating.

Even if the age rating is optional, I recommend obtaining and submitting the applicable ratings for your content, as this will provide an assurance to your users that the content is appropriate for the age group, and helps protect children from content inappropriate for their age.

Age ratings overview

 

 

 

Both the Windows and Windows Phone stores support age ratings from multiple ratings bodies.

Different countries and regions have different age ratings standards and bodies. For example:

• The United States uses Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings
  
• Most of Europe uses Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) ratings
  
• Japan uses Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO) ratings
  

 

All of these ratings bodies have established standards for each rating level within their system, and assign ratings based on these guidelines. Furthermore, in addition to assigning a rating, most ratings bodies also provide a rating certificate (in PDF or similar format) to serve as record of your rating. To submit an app with an age rating from a third-party ratings board, you will need both a rating value and a rating certificate.

Windows Store additionally has an age rating system applicable to every single app and game distributed through the Windows Store. All apps must be rated by the developer, whether or not they obtain a third-party rating. We’ll talk more about that later in this post.

Summary of the process

 

 

To submit a game for markets where ratings are required, follow these steps:

• Obtain a rating and the rating certificate or documentation
  
• Windows Phone Store: Submit your game, and in the metadata include select the rating for each market and upload the rating certificates. Then make sure the market or markets are selected as one where your app will be published to.
  
• Windows Store: Create a single GDF file with all the ratings for the game, submit the app, submit the single GDF file with all the ratings, and upload the rating certificates. Then make sure the market or markets are selected as one where your app will be published to.
  

Does your app need an age rating?

 

 

In most markets, age ratings are optional, though in some they are required; if you want to publish an app in a market with required age ratings, make sure the market is selected when publishing the app, and read further to learn how to add the age rating.

The table below shows the 4 markets where either Windows or Windows Phone require an age rating for submission—Brazil, Russia, Korea, and Taiwan—as well as the additional supported markets where an age rating is optional but recommended as a best practice. Starting this month, South Africa does not require an age rating.

Even if the age rating is optional, I recommend obtaining and submitting the applicable ratings for your content, as this will provide an assurance to your users that the content is appropriate for the age group, and helps protect children from content inappropriate for their age.

 

 

 

 

Windows

 

 

Windows Phone

 

 

Market

 

 

Age rating required?

 

 

Rating board

 

 

Game rating required?

 

 

Rating board

 

 

Brazil

 

 

Yes

 

 

DJCTQ

 

 

Yes

 

 

DJCTQ

 

 

Russia*

 

 

Yes

 

 

PCBP

 

 

Yes

 

 

PEGI

 

 

South Korea

 

 

Yes

 

 

GRAC

 

 

Yes

 

 

GRAC

 

 

Taiwan

 

 

Yes

 

 

CSRR

 

 

Yes

 

 

CSRR

 

 

South Africa**

 

 

Optional

 

 

FPB

 

 

Optional

 

 

FPB

 

 

United States, Canada

 

 

Optional

 

 

ESRB

 

 

Optional

 

 

ESRB

 

 

Europe (minus Russia)

 

 

Optional

 

 

PEGI

 

 

Optional

 

 

PEGI

 

 

Germany

 

 

Optional

 

 

USK

 

 

Optional

 

 

USK

 

 

Japan

 

 

Optional

 

 

CERO

 

 

Optional

 

 

CERO

 

 

New Zealand

 

 

Optional

 

 

OFLC-NZ

 

 

Optional

 

 

OFLC-NZ

 

 

Australia

 

 

Optional

 

 

COB

 

 

Optional

 

 

COB

 

 

* The rating process for Russia varies between Windows and Windows Phone. Windows Phone currently supports PEGI, and Windows supports PCBP.

** South Africa was previous required an age rating for Windows, and starting in June, that age rating is optional.

Every rating board has their own process for obtaining a rating, some simpler than others.

For ESRB, we offer a free online tool to obtain an ESRB rating (Windows or Windows Phone), and for PEGI we also offer a free online tool (Windows or Windows Phone). To obtain ratings and ratings certificates for optional ratings boards other than ESRB and PEGI, please visit the respective rating board’s website.

 

Game ratings in Brazil

 

 

Brazil requires content to be rated using the DJCTQ rating system. To obtain a DJCTQ rating, choose one of these three options:

• Submit your game for review by the DJCTQ, and get a rating published in the official government publication, or
  
• Obtain a ESRB game rating using the online form (Windows or Windows Phone), and then you assign the equivalent rating using DJCTQ guidelines, or
  
• Obtain a PEGI game rating using the online form (Windows or Windows Phone), and then you assign the equivalent rating using DJCTQ guidelines
  

 

Add rating to Windows Phone app

In Windows Phone Dev Center, during app submission, in the App Info section, expand the More Options section, then select the DJCTQ rating from the pull-down and upload a certificate (either scanning the DJCTQ official government publication or adding the ESRB or PEGI certificates).

 

Add rating to Windows Store app

First create a GDF (Game Definition File), and include the DJCTQ rating.

Then during app submission, upload the GDF file in Windows Dev Center, in the Age Rating section:

And add the certificate file (either the DJCTQ, PEGI or ESRB certificate):

Game ratings in Russia

 

 

Russia requires a PCBP rating, which is assigned by you, based on the PEGI rating. So the first step is to get a PEGI rating (use the Windows or Windows Phone online form to get it), then self-rate your game using the guidelines published by PCBP.

Add rating to Windows Phone app

In Windows Phone Dev Center, during app submission, in the App Info section, expand the ‘More Options’ section, then select the PEGI rating from the pull-down, and upload the PEGI certificate.

Add rating to Windows Store app

First create a GDF (Game Definition File), and include the PCBP rating.

Then during app submission, upload the GDF file in Windows Dev Center, in the Age Rating section:

And add the PEGI certificate file:

Game ratings in South Africa

 

 

South Africa apps and games on Windows Store used to be required, using the FPB rating system. Starting this month, age rating for South Africa is optional. I will share the South Africa requirements any way, in case you want to add one to your app or game.

To get an FPB rating, go to their online self-rating site here and follow their process. Very recently, the FPB added an online website to request game ratings, therefore simplifying the request process.

Note that the FPB rating is optional for Windows Phone, so a FPB age rating is not required to submit a Windows Phone game to the South African store.

Add rating to Windows Phone app

In Windows Phone Dev Center, during app submission, in the App Info section, expand the ‘More Options’ section, then select the FPB rating from the pull-down, and upload the FPB certificate.

Add rating to Windows Store app

First create a GDF (Game Definition File), and include the FPB rating.

Then during app submission, upload the GDF file in Windows Dev Center, in the Age Rating section:

And add the FPB certificate file:

Game ratings in South Korea

 

 

Korea requires all games to be rated using the GRAC system (formerly GRB). To obtain it, follow the process described in the GRB site. If you are not from Korea, you’ll require a local representative in Korea in order to request the rating.

Add rating to Windows Phone app

In Windows Phone Dev Center, during app submission, in the App Info section, expand the ‘More Options’ section, then select the GRB rating from the pull-down, and upload the GRB certificate.

Add rating to Windows Store app

First create a GDF (Game Definition File), and include the GRB rating.

Then during app submission, upload the GDF file in Windows Dev Center, in the Age Rating section:

And add the GRB certificate file:

Game ratings in Taiwan

 

 

Taiwan requires content to be rated using the CSRR rating system. The CSRR system is self-rated, so you assign the rating based on the CSRR guidelines (Chinese/English). You should also register as a developer with CSRR (typically takes a few days) and then register your game with CSRR through their website.

Add rating to Windows Phone app

In Windows Phone Dev Center, during app submission, in the App Info section, expand the ‘More Options’ section, then select the CSRR rating from the pull-down. No certificate is needed.

Add rating to Windows Store app

First create a GDF (Game Definition File), and include the CSRR rating.

Then during app submission, upload the GDF file in Windows Dev Center, in the Age Rating section:

Then add a screenshot of the CSRR website where you show the rating assigned by CSRR:

One last step

 

 

After you have the rating and certificate, and have added them to the app submission, I recommend double checking that the market is selected so that the app is actually being published in that market.

For Windows Phone, during submission, go to Market selection:

Then check that the market or markets you are publishing to are selected:

For Windows, during submission go to Selling details:

Then check that the market or markets you are publishing to are selected:

Adding age ratings to your content opens up new markets where both Windows and Windows Phone have strong penetration, and differentiates your apps from other competing apps, therefore increases the possibility of more downloads. So, if you have not published your apps in these 5 countries, it is time to do it.

For more information, take a look at the Windows game rating documentation, the Windows Phone game ratings documentation, and learn how to create a GDF file.

Please let me know if there are questions, as this is a constantly evolving topic, as countries and governments adjust to the rapid growth of mobile gaming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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