Frequent readers (and why wouldn't you be?) may recall one of the more oddball stories last year being that Balatro, the roguelike deckbuilder, was initially classified as PEGI 18 by rating boards. This put it on the same level of content as something like Grand Theft Auto, which naturally baffled many, including the developer.
However, it appears that PEGI has recognized their mistake and has reclassified Balatro to the more appropriate rating of PEGI 12. According to developer Localthunk, who shared the news on Twitter, this reclassification came about partly due to an appeal made by Balatro's publisher to the ratings board.
Balatro has not been without its challenges from external organizations. It was briefly removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns over perceived gambling content. This occurred despite the fact that players cannot win real money or place actual bets, with in-game currency used only as an abstract means to purchase more cards during each run.
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 poker hands like a straight flush or a flush.
The initial classification also impacted other platforms like mobile, despite the widespread presence of in-app transactions in many games. While the reclassification to PEGI 12 is a welcome change, one might argue it should not have been necessary in the first place.
If this news is finally encouraging you to try out Balatro, why not check out our tier list of Jokers? It will help you determine which game-changing cards are worth using and which ones you might want to avoid.
