List of Common Warnings You Can Put on Your Games
Games released over the internet tend not to have a standard ratings system to let potential players know what they’re getting into. To compensate for that, me and some wonderful followers came up with a list of common triggers & warnings to put in the description of your game.
While you don’t have to list any warnings when you put out your game, it sure is helpful to give potential players a guide on what kind of content they’re going to be seeing. The more user friendly a game is, the more likely it is to be downloaded! :)
“Where should I put these content advisory/trigger warning?”
Any place you’re giving a description of the game. For example, a release post on tumblr, or in the game descriptions of RPGmaker.net, Itch.io, & Gamejolt. I’d put the triggers on a separate page if they’re spoilers so people can have the option to spoil themselves or not (since some people can play through anything!).
“What if I don’t want to warn players due to spoilers?”
Well, you could place a general warning like “Warning: this game is not meant for those with a nervous disposition or have trouble dealing with uncomfortable topics,” “This game contains content suitable for people that are 10/15/18 years old or older,” or “This game deals with mature subjects and can get into some uncomfortable places at time.”
Another solution is to just use one of the many game rating systems available. Two prominent ones are the ESRB rating system used in North America, and the PEGI rating system used in most parts of Europe.
However, anything that could aggravate or hurt someone physically should always be placed before a game. These include:
sudden sounds and/or movements
You can also offer a version of the game that removes this content, or an option within the game itself to disable stuff like this. You don’t want anyone to have a seizure or panic attack during your game. :[
Now here’s a specific list of warnings you can add to your game. While the list is long, your game probably won’t contain all of them. Special thanks to everyone who sent in a response to this post for helping out!
tangentwithtanner
prguitarman
andulkaphoto
romaincrisis
yousharknotpass
2087
titsay
amandla
