Violence

What it covers

Any depiction of fighting or harm: cartoon and slapstick knockabouts, sports collisions, fantasy combat with monsters, shooting, and at the strong end realistic violence against people, including killing that looks real or cruelty to the defenceless.

How the rating boards label it

Australia's Classification Board writes its consumer advice as a strength plus a context: 'Very mild violence' (G), 'Mild fantasy violence' (PG), 'Violence' or 'Science fiction violence' (M), 'Strong violence' (MA 15+) and 'High impact violence' (R 18+).

The ESRB in North America uses Fantasy Violence (violence in a fantasy setting, clearly unlike real life), Violence (aggressive conflict) and Intense Violence (graphic, realistic conflict, possibly with blood, gore, weapons and death). 'Mild' in front of a descriptor means low frequency, intensity or severity.

PEGI in Europe shows one Violence descriptor and lets the age label carry the strength: at 7 only non-realistic or non-detailed violence, at 12 fantasy violence or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters, and at 16 and 18 increasingly realistic violence.

Mild, moderate and strong

Mild: cartoon, slapstick or fantasy violence with little detail (ACB G or PG, ESRB Fantasy Violence, PEGI 3 or 7).

Moderate: regular combat against people or creatures, without lingering on injury (ACB M, ESRB Violence, PEGI 12 or 16).

Strong: realistic, graphic or intense violence (ACB MA 15+ or R 18+, ESRB Intense Violence, PEGI 18).