USK Ratings
Authority: Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK)
Germany's Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle rates games under five legally binding age categories: USK 0, 6, 12, 16, and 18. Each threshold is set in German youth protection law, and retailers must enforce the printed age at the point of sale; USK 18 titles are not approved for anyone under 18.
| Rating | Age Suitability | Content Description |
|---|---|---|
| USK 0 | 0+ | Approved without age restriction; no content posing a child protection risk |
| USK 6 | 6+ | Family-friendly but more exciting and competitive gameplay; any conflict is abstract or fairy-tale styled |
| USK 12 | 12+ | More competitive games in historical, futuristic, or mythical settings; fight sequences remain recognizably unrealistic |
| USK 16 | 16+ | May include a higher degree of violence within a plot framework; fighting sequences remain recognizable as fictional |
| USK 18 | 18+ | Not approved for persons under 18; may include intense, realistic-feeling violence considered detrimental to minors |
History & Origin
The USK was formed in 1994 as a non-profit body owned by game -- The German Games Industry Association -- to review and rate entertainment software on a voluntary basis. For its first several years the ratings it issued were strictly advisory and weren't applied consistently across all software sold in the country.
That changed in 2003, when a revision to Germany's Protection of Young Persons Act (Jugendschutzgesetz) made USK age labeling mandatory for all game software sold at retail, and tied the five age categories directly to the statute rather than leaving them as an industry convention. The symbol design was updated the same year to introduce the now-familiar color-coded age badges, with a further redesign in 2009. Since 2021, German law has also required a USK rating before a game can be sold on digital storefronts with access by minors, extending the mandatory-labeling requirement from physical retail into digital distribution.
Related Pages
You Might Also Need
Referenced By
ACB Ratings
Australia's Classification Board rates games G, PG, M, MA 15+, R 18+, or Refused Classification (RC). G and PG are advisory for general and younger audiences; M is recommended for mature audiences; MA 15+ and R 18+ are legally restricted by age; RC content cannot legally be sold, hired, or exhibited in Australia at all.
Comparison TableCERO Ratings
Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organization rates games from A (All ages) to Z (18 and up only). B suits ages 12+, C suits ages 15+, and D suits ages 17+; Z is a legally restricted category, and retailers in Japan can be penalized for selling a Z-rated game to a minor.