Choosing a game for a school esports league means working through a few separate checks. You need to know what its content classification says where you're running, which accounts students need, what the publisher allows for tournaments, and whether each school and family is comfortable taking part. A good rating or a working login answers just one part of that.

As School Esports founder Jonathan Jansen puts it, "schools are generally still very conservative towards school esports." He sees clear, safety-conscious decisions as a way to earn their trust. That means being able to show how you've worked through each check.

Does a game's age rating decide who can enter a school esports event?

Only partly. A rating describes a game's content within one classification system. Entry also depends on the publisher's terms and your event rules.

Rocket League is a useful example. The ESRB record for Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One rates it Everyone with Mild Lyrics. However, Rocket League links the Epic Games Event License Terms as its community tournament licence, and those terms require match participants to be at least 13, or older where a higher local minimum applies.

Ratings also vary by region and version. The ESRB rates VALORANT on Windows PC as Teen, and Australian Classification's 2020 record lists it as M. Neither establishes VALORANT's New Zealand classification status. Here, the Classification Office's video games guidance explains that unrestricted games can carry overseas ratings, while restricted games can't be supplied to anyone below the restriction. Its guidance for parents and whānau adds that restrictions apply at home and at school, and parental permission can't override them. RP labels have their own conditions, so read those as written.

Within those limits, Jonathan's advice is to choose games that suit the ages your tournaments are designed for, then leave schools to make their choice. If a school or family opts out of a game rated T for Teen under ESRB guidelines, "that's an individual family or community choice without removing that opportunity to the wider community."

Which game accounts do students need for school esports?

Depending on the setup, students may need a publisher account, a console or platform account, and a School Esports account. Check each service's age and account requirements for the title, region and device you'll use. A student's account and their tournament roster are separate records.

Publisher accounts have their own conditions. Riot's Terms of Service require account holders to be adults, emancipated minors, or have valid parent or legal guardian consent to be bound by the terms. They also prohibit sharing accounts or logins. A school's authorisation doesn't make a teacher a student's guardian, so shared teacher accounts are out. Epic's Cabined Accounts apply below 13 or the country's age of digital consent, whichever is higher. While cabined, voice chat, free-text chat and real-money purchases are restricted. Parent or guardian consent and account setup can enable permitted features, subject to parental controls. It doesn't waive another service's minimum age or make a player eligible for an event.

Jonathan also favours games that are free to play, not pay-to-win and playable across platforms. Those details differ by title and mode, so check them for the version you'll actually run.

Can you run a school tournament for any game?

No. As Jonathan says, "You can't just pick any game and run a tournament for it." He sees publisher licensing as possibly the most important factor. These are selected conditions for three titles, rather than a complete licence checklist:

  • Rocket League: Epic's licence is linked from the Rocket League rules hub. Its standard criteria require free participation and viewing without purchase gates, events that start and finish within 30 days, and match players aged at least 13 or a higher local minimum. Compensation caps and sponsor and broadcast rules also apply. Events outside the criteria need Epic's written agreement; school billing doesn't change this. Clarify the terms' private-match or spectator-access wording where it affects your event.
  • VALORANT: Riot's community competition guidelines, dated 18 June 2026, set a unified framework across supported regions and require an event notification form. Schools are excepted from the government-entity exclusion, but the other conditions and incorporated Riot policies still apply. The licence is conditional and revocable. These guidelines state no numeric player age; that doesn't remove account, local classification or other event eligibility requirements.
  • Clash Royale: Supercell's tournament guidelines require free player entry, including no membership or season-pass gate, mobile devices, and players aged at least 13 who meet local requirements and live where the game is officially available. Players below legal age need written or in-person parent or guardian consent for cash-prize events.

Check the full terms again whenever your fees, dates, sponsors, age group, region or broadcast plans change. No separately negotiated event agreement was reviewed for this article.

Who approves a game for a school?

Someone at the school with the authority to make that call approves the game, and families give any permission required by school policy, law or competition rules. A school can take a more cautious approach than a publisher, but school or parent permission can't waive the publisher's age conditions or the law.

Agree a proportionate way for schools to confirm eligibility. Students shouldn't post birth dates, ID or logins in match chat. Nobody should use false details or work around an account's age gate to get a student in. Participation permission doesn't automatically cover every use of student information or a broadcast; check those separately.

What should you check before registration opens?

For each title, mode and platform, record:

  • the jurisdiction and exact rating record or version
  • publisher and platform account requirements
  • licence and event age conditions
  • the school's decision owner and any family permission needed
  • the approved communication plan, plus any broadcast or data use
  • when you checked, and who is resolving each unknown

Then try the setup. Can a permitted account log in on the approved device, join the intended lobby and use the school's approved communication route? If a hard requirement is still unresolved, don't advertise that age group as eligible.

Where does School Esports fit in?

School Esports was built independently with national federation expertise. Its demo teacher setup guide describes registration review, entry eligibility checks and held approvals. The demo team management guide describes teacher-created entries, roster corrections and eligibility restrictions. The exact checks depend on how each event is set up, and your league still needs to confirm that each game, account and licence suits the event.

The published age policies also need clarification. The main-site terms describe teacher-managed participation for under-13s, while the demo terms prohibit under-13 accounts and participant or roster records. Confirm the rules for your actual league before promising younger students a place. To discuss your titles, rosters and rulebook, get in touch for a demo.

You can also read about publisher permissions and tournament licences.