Orit Michiel has been named the next president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the self-regulatory body that assigns age and content ratings to video games and mobile apps in the United States. She will take over on November 2, 2026, succeeding Patricia Vance, who is retiring after more than two decades as the group's president.
The appointment places a former executive from the streaming and film worlds at the head of an organization that shapes how games reach players and parents. Michiel previously worked at Netflix and at the Motion Picture Association, the trade group that oversees the film industry's own ratings system. Her background spans both film and digital entertainment, two areas where content classification has become increasingly complex as audiences move between screens and platforms.
The ESRB rating system is the familiar set of letter-based labels printed on game packaging and shown in digital storefronts. Its work has grown alongside the rise of mobile apps and online games, which often reach younger audiences without the physical packaging that once carried the ratings to shoppers. Leadership changes at the group therefore carry weight for publishers, retailers and parents who rely on its guidance.
Vance's long tenure has defined the organization for a generation of gamers. Her departure opens a transition period in which Michiel will inherit responsibility for maintaining the credibility of the ratings as the industry's content and distribution continue to change. The timing gives her several months to prepare before she assumes the role in November.