Balatro reclassified as PEGI 12 by ratings board after appeal by publisher

Balatro, the roguelike deckbuilder, has received a PEGI rating reclassification, moving from PEGI 18 to PEGI 12. This decision, following an appeal by the publisher to the ratings board, addresses concerns that initially placed Balatro in the same category as mature titles like Grand Theft Auto. The initial PEGI 18 rating surprised many, including the developer Localthunk, who announced the change on Twitter.

This isn't Balatro's first brush with regulatory issues; it was briefly removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns about its depiction of gambling. This, despite the game not involving real-money transactions or betting, only using in-game currency for card purchases.

The initial PEGI 18 classification stemmed from the game's use of gambling-related imagery, a seemingly disproportionate reason given the game's actual mechanics. This misclassification also impacted mobile platforms, despite the prevalence of in-app purchases in many mobile games.

While the reclassification is welcome, the initial error highlights inconsistencies in rating systems. If you're curious about Balatro after this saga, consider checking out our tier list of Jokers to help you strategize your gameplay.