There are certain things you can count on in this world. Call of Duty getting an installment each year. EA putting DRM in games. Halo games getting “Mature” ratings from the ESRB. Wait, actually, that last one doesn’t work anymore, because Halo 5: Guardians has been rated “Teen” by the board that determines what games are appropriate for which audiences.
The ESRB offered some descripters that provide motivations for Halo 5: Guardians getting the rating that it did. This installment features “Blood, Mild Language, and Violence.” Halo: The Master Chief Collection , the other most recent release in the series, shared all of those descripters, but also had “gore.” Perhaps that’s what did it? Then again, Halo 4 didn’t have “gore” or “mild language,” and it was rated “Mature.”
I guess we’ll know on October 27 if Halo 5: Guardians is tamer than the other installments.
Source: ESRB