Frequent readers (and why wouldn't you be?) may recall one of the more oddball stories last year involving the roguelike deckbuilder, Balatro, which was initially classified as PEGI 18 by rating boards. This rating placed it on the same level as games like Grand Theft Auto, which naturally baffled many, including the developer.
However, it seems that PEGI has recognized their error and reclassified Balatro to the more fitting PEGI 12 rating. According to developer Localthunk, who shared the news on Twitter, this change came about in part due to an appeal by Balatro's publisher to the board. This reclassification places Balatro on more even footing with games that are considered less mature in content.
It's not the first time Balatro has faced scrutiny from external organizations. The game was briefly removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns over its perceived gambling content. This is despite the fact that players cannot win real money or place bets; the only use of cash in the game is as an abstract means to purchase more cards within each run.
As mentioned earlier, one of the primary reasons for Balatro's initial PEGI 18 classification was its depiction of gambling-adjacent imagery. Essentially, the concern was that players might learn about concepts like a straight flush or a flush, which was considered as severe as vehicular homicide in games like GTA.
This classification issue has also affected Balatro's availability on mobile platforms, despite the widespread presence of in-app transactions in many mobile games. While it's better late than never for this correction, it's frustrating that the misclassification occurred in the first place.
If this news is finally persuading you to give Balatro a try, why not check out our tier list of Jokers? It will help you determine which of these game-changing cards are worth your time and which ones you might want to skip.
