Analysis: M-Rated Games Halve From GameCube to Wii

Author: by Matt Matthews, Staff

As part of new analysis released by Gamasutra on ESRB ratings across multiple consoles, it's been revealed that only 3.2% of games rated for Nintendo's Wii are M-rated, down sharply from 7.5% of titles on Nintendo's previous console, the GameCube. The analysis, which uses ESRB's search ability on its website to compile previously unseen data, notes of the Gamecube itself: "On the GameCube over 51% of the games were rated E and 6.1% were rated E10+. This makes the GameCube appear to be more friendly for younger gamers. While only 7.5% of the GameCube catalog was rated M, that fraction represents a significantly larger proportion than found on either the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance where M-rated games are less than 1% of the software library." However, when moving on to the Wii, the article particularly comments of Nintendo's newest game hardware system: "From the beginning Nintendo has wanted to attract non-traditional gamers with its Wii hardware and software. Perhaps as a result of the manufacturer's strategy, many Wii games have been designed to appeal to -- and therefore are rated for -- a general audience. Over 82% of the Wii catalog is either rated E or E10+. Only 3.2% are rated M, less than half the rate on Nintendo's previous console, GameCube. Still, that 3.2% is significantly higher than the rates on either the Nintendo DS or the Game Boy Advance." The full Gamasutra article on ESRB ratings is now available, including graphs and commentary on all major systems, from the Game Boy Advance through PSP to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 - with a number of other notable surprises also apparent.