The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) presented its ratings summary for "Battlefield Hardline" on January 17 and it appears like the game will not be available for everyone.
Attack of the Fan Boy reported that "Battlefield Hardline" was given a rating of "M", which means that it is intended only for mature players above 17 years old. The game was categorized by the ESRB under "M", described as having "Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs".
The rating summary of the game was described on the ESRB website:
"This is a first-person in which players assume the role of Nick Mendoza, a police officer investigating a drug-trading ring. Players use a variety of firearms and tactical gear (e.g., pistols, shotguns, rifles, machine guns, grenades, tasers) to take down and/or kill enemies in frenetic combat. Several sequences require stealth tactics in which players take down enemies by using attacks such as chokeholds."
It adds, "Combat is highlighted by realistic gunfire, screams of pain, and blood-splatter effects. Cutscenes depict more intense acts of violence: a man shot in the head at close range; an unarmed character shot in the chest. In one sequence, a corpse is depicted with its legs chewed off. During the course of the game, a handful of enemies are depicted snorting cocaine or smoking marijuana; several missions involve destroying/infiltrating illegal drug operations (e.g., seizing packages of cocaine, destroying meth labs). The words "f**k" and "sh*t" appear in the dialogue."
"Battlefield Hardline" is set to launch on March 17, 2015 in North America, and will be available for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation4, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gaming consoles. In Europe and other parts of the world, the game will release on March 19, based on a report by VG247. It will also be available via EA Access, which is an Xbox One subscription service. Xbox One gamers who have EA Access can expect to enjoy exclusive trials, demos and betas, early access to new releases and other full-game collections. There will be game modes and maps in the beta version, which will release weeks before the full game.
Steve Papoutsis, general manager of Visceral Games, told fans that they will be satisfied with "Battlefield Hardline" when it releases. He said, "To be frank, we want you to play this beta to death. We need you to. This test is only going to make the game stronger, and help us take a look at ways we can ensure we deliver the most stable launch you deserve."