Why you shouldn t be worried about Assassin s Creed Mirage s gambling rating TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Why you shouldn t be worried about Assassin s Creed Mirage s gambling rating By Callum Bains last updated 5 October 2022 Basim leaves the table (Image credit: Ubisoft) Audio player loading… Assassin's Creed fans are already worried about the monetization model of Mirage, but pending ESRB changes mean those concerns look premature. Revealed in a recent showcase, Assassin's Creed Mirage is set to be the series' next mainline entry, returning the heavyweight Ubisoft series to its roots in a new stealth-focused adventure. Currently, it's the only game in the Assassin's Creed franchise listed with an Adults Only 18+ age rating, partly because of its supposed gambling mechanics. As one Reddit (opens in new tab) fan spotted on the game's Xbox store, the ESRB – the US's official media age rating agency – says the game will include "real gambling", meaning the "player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency". That's opposed to "simulated gambling", which would allow players to gamble using an in-game currency without spending real cash. Cards on the table The description already has fans on Reddit and ResetEra (opens in new tab) concerned about what in-game monetization models might appear in Mirage. Ubisoft is no stranger to ancillary cash-based models, introducing them to games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Rainbow Six Extraction. But concerns over Mirage's gambling mechanics appear somewhat unfounded. Despite what the game's Xbox store page suggests, Mirage hasn't yet been officially rated and isn't listed in the ESRB's catalog (opens in new tab). Set to release in 2023, the Adults Only rating is likely only a placeholder that will be updated closer to launch. The provisional rating doesn't even appear in every instance, with a short teaser trailer on the game's official Instagram (opens in new tab) page showing its ESRB rating is still pending. And if gambling does appear in the game, it likely won't involve loot boxes – as some concerned Assassin's Creed fans have suspected. Since 2020, the ESRB has labeled all games "that include purchases with any randomized elements, including loot boxes, gacha games, item or card packs, prize wheels, treasure chests, and more" as possessing "in-game purchases". That label doesn't appear in Mirage's preliminary rating. It's more likely that Mirage will be rated Mature, in line with past entries in the Assassin's Creed series. Publishers rarely release games rated Adult Only, aiming for the lowest age rating possible to push their titles to the widest consumer market. Even a game as bombastically violent as GTA 5 escaped the Adult Only category. For now, then, don't expect Mirage to include gambling.Xenoblade Chronicles 3 creator boosted Splatoon 3 during development Callum BainsGaming News WriterCallum is TechRadar Gaming's News Writer. You'll find him whipping up stories about all the latest happenings in the gaming world, as well as penning the odd feature and review. Before coming to TechRadar, he wrote freelance for various sites, including Clash, The Telegraph, and Gamesindustry.biz, and worked as a Staff Writer at Wargamer. Strategy games and RPGs are his bread and butter, but he'll eat anything that spins a captivating narrative. He also loves tabletop games, and will happily chew your ear off about TTRPGs and board games. See more Gaming news TechRadar Newsletter Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1One of the world's most popular programming languages is coming to Linux2Blizzard made me explain Overwatch 2 smurfing to my mum for nothing3Apple October launches: the new devices we might see this month4Google's AI editing tricks are making Photoshop irrelevant for most people5You may not have to sell a body part to afford the Nvidia RTX 4090 after all1We finally know what 'Wi-Fi' stands for - and it's not what you think2Best laptops for designers and coders 3Miofive 4K Dash Cam review4Logitech's latest webcam and headset want to relieve your work day frustrations5Best offers on Laptops for Education – this festive season Technology Magazines (opens in new tab)● (opens in new tab)The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviewsFrom$12.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)