In a recent development that has brought much-needed clarity, the popular roguelike deckbuilder game, Balatro, has been reclassified from PEGI 18 to PEGI 12 by the ratings board. This adjustment places Balatro on a more appropriate footing compared to its previous, more mature rating, which had positioned it alongside titles like Grand Theft Auto in terms of content severity.
Frequent readers might remember the peculiar story from last year when Balatro was initially given a PEGI 18 rating, a decision that left many, including the game's developer, puzzled. However, following an appeal by Balatro's publisher, the ratings board reconsidered and issued a more fitting PEGI 12 classification. Developer Localthunk shared this update on Twitter, highlighting the successful appeal.
This isn't the first time Balatro has faced scrutiny from external organizations. Earlier, it was temporarily removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns over gambling content, despite the game not allowing players to win real money or place actual bets. The only monetary aspect in Balatro involves an abstract representation used to purchase more cards during gameplay.
The house always winsThe initial PEGI 18 rating stemmed from the game's use of gambling-adjacent imagery, such as references to poker hands like straight flushes. This led to comparisons with more violent games like GTA, which seemed disproportionate given Balatro's content.
The reclassification to PEGI 12 is a welcome change, especially since the previous rating had implications for the game's availability on platforms like mobile, where in-app purchases are commonplace. While the correction is appreciated, it's clear that the initial misclassification should never have occurred.
If this news piques your interest in trying out Balatro, why not check out our tier list of Jokers? It's a great resource to discover which of these impactful cards are worth your attention and which ones you might want to skip.
