Balatro's Unexpected 18+ Rating Sparks Controversy

The creator of poker roguelike game, Balatro, known as LocalThunk, has been voicing his frustrations over the game's 18-plus rating in Europe. This rating was given due to the game's use of prominent gambling imagery, despite the game itself featuring no actual gambling.

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Balatro's Rating History

Balatro was initially rated 3-plus, but post its February launch, PEGI increased the rating to 18-plus. This led to the game being temporarily delisted from several digital stores in some countries.

Reasons for the Rating

PEGI's page for Balatro attributes the rating to the game's use of gambling imagery. The game teaches skills and knowledge used in poker through images, information, and gameplay. Despite this, it's important to note that Balatro does not actually include any gambling as part of the gameplay.

LocalThunk's Frustration

LocalThunk has taken issue with games like EA Sports FC, which include in-game purchases with randomized content, receiving a 3-plus rating. He attempted to discuss Balatro's rating with PEGI, but they did not see anything wrong with it being rated 18-plus.