According to the ESRB, Halo 5: Guardians received a Teen rating because of blood, mild language, and violence. The summary says that the game has players assume the role of a super soldier that uses futuristic weapons in battles that feature realistic gunfire and occasional blood-splatter.
News of the rating has surprised many in the gaming media since previous titles in the series have been rated M for Mature. While the announcement was a surprise to many, the new Teen rating has been welcomed by fans who felt the series lacked the kind of violence that deserved a Mature rating.
While the ESRB hasn’t commented about what made Guardians different from previous games in the series, many gamers have speculated that the absence of the Flood (an enemy faction in the series) may be the reason for the Teen rating. It has been speculated that because of the monstrous image of the Flood, the Halo series had earned a Mature rating.
Connor Sheridan of GameRadar+ suspects that a new change to the leadership and policy of the ESRB may be the reason why Guardians has received a Teen rating.
Halo 5: Guardians is the fifth cameo game in the series and its set to be released for the Xbox One on October 27, 2015. The second game in the Reclaimer Saga, players take on the role of Spartan Locke as he searches for Master Chief, who is the key to avoiding a major crisis.
