Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB! This rating is consistent with the Metroid Prime games before Beyond, sans Metroid Prime Pinball (rated E).
According to ESRB, the rating for Teen Content is generally suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language.
On Nintendo’s page for Prime 4, the content descriptors include ‘Animated Blood, Violence’, and the interactive elements include ‘In-Game Purchases’. ESRB describes In-Game Purchases as follows:
‘Contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real world currency, including but not limited to bonus levels, skins, music, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency, subscriptions, season passes and upgrades (e.g., to disable ads).’
Beyond does have an upgrade for the Switch 2 system, which may explain the inclusion of that label, though we do not know the extent of which In-Game Purchases is applicable.
ESRB rates physical games according to content disclosed by the publishers in two key ways:
- A completed questionnaire detailing any relevant content (violence, sex, language, gambling, etc.), and other factors such as context, reward systems and player control.
- A video showing typical gameplay, missions, and cutscenes, including the most “extreme” content. Unplayable content (i.e., “locked out”), if it is pertinent to a rating, must also be disclosed.
ESRB’s FAQ page claims that ESRB raters don’t play-test games during the rating process, but may play-test games after release to ‘help ensure all pertinent content was disclosed during the rating process.’ If content isn’t fully disclosed during this process, the publisher may be fined up to $1 million. Presumably, Beyond is content complete at this stage to avoid such fine, but we do not know that as of now.
The release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has yet been revealed, but is scheduled to be released later this year.