Balatro's PEGI Rating Reduced to 12
Balatro, the roguelike deckbuilder, has had its PEGI rating revised from 18 to 12. This follows an appeal by the publisher to the ratings board, addressing concerns that initially led to a comparison with games like Grand Theft Auto. The developer, Localthunk, announced the change on Twitter.
The initial PEGI 18 rating, deemed overly harsh by many, including the developer, sparked controversy. The game's depiction of gambling-related imagery was cited as the primary reason for the higher rating, a decision that baffled the team given the lack of real-money transactions or betting within the game. The only use of in-game currency is for purchasing cards within each playthrough.
This isn't Balatro's first brush with regulatory issues. It was briefly removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns about its gambling mechanics, despite the absence of real-world gambling.
The inaccurate rating also affected mobile platforms, despite the prevalence of in-app purchases in mobile gaming. While the corrected rating is welcome, the initial misclassification highlights inconsistencies in rating systems.
Intrigued? Check out our Balatro Joker tier list to strategize your gameplay!
