Should You Let Your 12 Year Old Play Bonelab?

As a fellow parent, I know it can be tough to decide if your kid is ready to play intense VR games like Bonelab. You want them to have fun with the cool new technology, but also stay safe and avoid content that could cause issues down the road.

In this guide, I‘ll walk you through everything to consider and hopefully give some useful perspective!

What Kind of VR Game is Bonelab?

First, let‘s quickly summarize what Bonelab actually is…

Bonelab is a virtual reality action game made by Stress Level Zero for VR on PC and standalone Quest 2 headsets. It‘s considered a sequel to their previous VR hit Boneworks.

In the game, you use motion controllers to interact realistically with objects and environments, while fighting enemy robots and zombies with guns, blades, and your virtual fists.

Here‘s a short trailer showing some of the gameplay:

As you can see, it involves quite a bit of bloody combat against humanoid enemies. Definitely intense!

Why Did Bonelab Get an M Rating?

Bonelab earned a Mature 17+ age rating from the ESRB for:

• Blood and gore
• Intense violence
• Strong language

This matches the M rating given to the similar VR game Boneworks.

An M rating means the content is only suitable for ages 17 and up. So Bonelab is considered inappropriate for kids under 17 based on its themes.

How Young is Too Young for VR?

The ESRB gives age recommendations, but when it comes to VR, the headset manufacturers themselves suggest kids avoid it until at least age 13.

For example, Meta‘s Oculus Quest 2 minimum age is 13 years old. HTC Vive, Valve Index, and PlayStation VR also state 13+ in their health and safety warnings.

But why set the limit at 13? Well, research has shown VR can negatively impact senses that are still developing in younger kids:

• Vision – VR headsets strain kids‘ eyes more compared to adults due to closer screens and fixed focal distance.
• Balance – Immersive VR can mess with kids‘ balance and coordination which aren’t fully developed.
• Cognition – Younger brains struggle separating VR from reality which can cause confusion.

There are also concerns about the long term effects since the technology remains new and scientific studies are limited.

So major VR companies err on the side of caution with their age recommendations.

VR Research on Kids and Teens

Let‘s look at a few statistics on VR usage among youth:

• 17% of VR users are between ages 10-15 according to an IDC survey.
• 25% of gaming teenagers have access to a VR headset based on OKKO research.
• VR usage rates for kids/teens doubled in 2020 compared to 2019 per SuperAwesome.

VR is becoming more popular with younger audiences as tech improves and prices come down.

But what happens when kids actually use VR, especially the immersive kind?

• One Stanford study found elementary school kids had trouble recalling whether VR or real-life events actually occurred after VR exposure.
• In a 2018 study, children age 6-12 experienced visual and balance issues using VR headsets designed for adults.
• Research presented at VRST 2018 observed children under 12 can have more extreme reactions to VR violence compared to teens.

The data indicates VR does impact kids and teens differently than adults. Most experts advise careful moderation until we know more.

Alternatives to Bonelab for Ages 12-15

You probably want to steer your 12 year old away from ultra-violent games like Bonelab. But there are plenty of VR games with more appropriate content for kids and teens:

Age 12-13

• Job Simulator – hilarious workplace simulation, rated E
• SculptrVR – creative 3D sculpting, rated E
• Rec Room – active social multiplayer world, rated E10+

Age 13-15

• Beat Saber – immensely popular music rhythm game, rated E10+
• Superhot VR – stylized slow-motion action, rated T
• Minecraft VR – explore block worlds, rated E10+

For younger kids, non-VR console gaming likely has the most choices appropriate for their age.

The Bottom Line

Given the M rating, intense violence, unknown long-term effects, and manufacturer age guidance, I personally would not recommend Bonelab or similar VR games for a 12 year old.

However, as both a gaming enthusiast and parent, I also understand the excitement of new technology like VR.

My advice would be to start your child slowly with more moderate VR experiences tailored for their age. Make sure to set reasonable limits around gameplay time and content themes.

And above all, ensure your kid only uses age appropriate VR with proper guidance and supervision. Their health and development should come first!

There are definitely great VR worlds to explore safely once they reach their teens. But certain games will need to wait until the appropriate maturity.

I hope these pointers help another concerned parent! Let me know if you have any other VR questions.