Rogue-like poker game and indie darling Balatro has finally overcome one of the biggest hurdles in its otherwise momentous release – having its 18+ rating revoked.
The poker-themed game, which uses knowledge of the rules of poker, but features no gambling, had been slapped with a 18+ rating, limiting its potential for sales and visibility. But as of yesterday (Feb. 24), the game is down to a more respectable – and accessible 12+ rating.
Image Credit: Esports.net
Indie Hit Balatro Finally Loses Its Undeserved 18+ Rating
Game Award 2024 winner Balatro had unfairly been given the 18+ rating by game classification body PEGI. With an 18+ rating, that put the game in the same category as titles like Call of Duty, Red Dead Redemption 2, with PEGI’s so-called ‘adult classification.’
As per PEGI’s website, this rating is applied “when the level of violence reaches a stage where it becomes the depiction of gross violence, apparently motiveless killing, or violence towards defenceless characters. The glamorization of the use of illegal drugs and the simulation of gambling, and explicit sexual activity should also fall into this age category.”
Balatro, a game where you use enhanced joker cards to construct an elaborate and augmented version of a traditional playing card deck to then play poker hands to score points (but not gamble or wager) had seemingly been given this rating unfairly.
Image Credit: Esports.net
What’s more, the fact Balatro got this rating, and games with loot boxes, such as EA Sports FC, were available to children and rated as such, highlighted the PEGI’s seemingly double standard. Loot boxes, arguably, are just gambling, and have been classified as such by many countries.
As a result, PEGI was effectively treating “portrayals” gambling more harshly than actual in-game gambling for real money.
Local Thunk, the creator of Balatro took to Twitter to celebrate the reclassification. However he also pointed out that the now outdated 18+ rated physical copies of Balatro were collectors editions. Balatro recently celebrated the release of its latest Friends of Jimbo pack 4, welcoming Assassins Creed, Bugsnax, Fallout and others to the faces of its cards.
And well, if not containing gambling is a deal-breaker for you, why not check out our guides to esports betting.