Media Molecule is well known for its game-creation video games thanks to the LittleBigPlanet series. More importantly, all their games have been rather family-friendly, with every game from the studio so far getting an E rating from the ESRB. At least, up until now. The ESRB revealed that Media Molecule’s upcoming Dreams, another game creation tool, has been given a T rating, meaning the game is appropriate for people aged 13 and older.
According to the ESRB description, there are two major reasons for Dreams‘ T rating. One is fantasy violence, which can probably be expected from a game that lets users create anything. (Editor’s Note: The ESRB does not rate potential creations that can come from online interactions and the creation tool. Its rating specifically refers to the content within the game, Media Molecule’s own campaign that was created using the Dreams tools.) The other, however, is slightly more surprising. The ESRB notes that the game gets a T rating for “language.” Specifically, it talks about how one of the characters says the word “shit.” Notably, the rating is all about the playable campaign (demos, as the ESRB calls them) that ships with the game, rather than the tools used for creation, since the ESRB can’t rate online interactions.
The full ESRB description is as follows:
This is a game development utility in which players are given the tools to create a variety of games. Players use in-game templates to create different game genres, applying art, audio, music, and animation tools to the process. One template allows players to use a cartoony blaster to shoot boxes and other objects from a first-person perspective. Playable demos include games in which animal characters engage in third-person melee combat; characters use hammers and projectiles to attack fantastical enemies (e.g., bouncing heads, statues). The word “sh*t” appears in one of the demos.
While Dreams may have a higher ESRB rating than expected for a Media Molecule game, at least it hasn’t been banned in Australia. In the meantime, you can check out some impressive creations made in Dreams, including a PlayStation demake of the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 and a delicious full English breakfast.
[Source: ESRB]
