Why Undertale is Rated Teen on Xbox

Undertale is the latest title available on Xbox Game Pass, but some subscribers might have noticed that the game has a slightly different rating than the version offered on previous platforms: the game is now rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. Concerned parents might be wondering about the rationale behind the change, and it seems that there is a simple explanation: the Xbox version features a “really small slot machine.” Despite its small size, that’s enough for the game to fall under the ESRB’s “Simulated Gambling” guidelines, bumping the rating up from the “E” for Everyone rating it has on every other platform.

Developer Toby Fox’s explanation can be found in the Tweet below, alongside a video that shows the slot machine in action.

Xbox has a significant number of parental control options, so information like this might be helpful for some parents! Most probably won’t agree with the ESRB’s definition of “Simulated Gambling,” but those that use parental controls to block their kids from accessing titles rated higher than “E” will want to look into Undertale and see if it’s something they feel is appropriate for their children. Every parent is different in that regard!

It’s always interesting to see how these decisions are made. Each console release of Undertale has offered some small alterations over the game’s other versions. On PlayStation, fans could access a Dog Shrine, on Switch, there’s a boss fight with Mad Mew Mew, and on Xbox there’s the slot machine. These console-specific options are on the smaller side, but a lot of Undertale purists love checking them out, regardless!

Undertale has been a massive success since its initial release in 2015. Now that the game is available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S (and Game Pass specifically), a lot more players will have the opportunity to see what all the fuss is about. For those without Game Pass, Undertale is available on Xbox platforms for $14.99 and can be found at the Microsoft Store right here.

Have you checked out Undertale on Xbox yet? Were you surprised to see the game’s rating changed for the Xbox version? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!