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

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 placed the game's content on par with titles like Grand Theft Auto. The developer, Localthunk, announced the change on Twitter.

This isn't Balatro's first brush with regulatory issues. The game was briefly removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns about its depiction of gambling mechanics, despite the absence of real-money transactions or betting. The game uses in-game currency to purchase cards, a system that apparently triggered the initial PEGI 18 rating.

The controversial PEGI 18 classification stemmed from the game's use of gambling-related imagery, leading to the misinterpretation that the game promoted actual gambling. This misclassification unfortunately extended to mobile platforms as well.

While the corrected PEGI 12 rating is a welcome change, the initial misjudgment highlights the challenges developers face in navigating varying content rating systems. The incident raises questions about the consistency and accuracy of such classifications, particularly in the context of in-app purchases, which are prevalent in mobile gaming.

A Corrected Classification

The revised rating should hopefully encourage more players to experience Balatro. For those interested, a tier list of Jokers within the game is available to help players strategize their card choices.