The Balatro PEGI rating issue from the Pan European Game Information (PEGI for short) finally has a good ending because they finally ruled that the popular indie card game Balatro shouldn’t be tagged as 18+, changing one of the most perplexing video game ratings ever.
Last year, the gaming world was rife with controversies, with the Nintendo Museum emulator controversy being one of the most talked about in 2024. On that same year, the deckbuilding rogue-like made by the anonymous Canadian developer LocalThunk was released to widespread international success in February 2024.
Its success wasn’t without hiccups though because PEGI previously gave it an 18+ rating. Now, we’ll take a look at why PEGI decided to change the game’s previous rating and bring it down to become more accessible to younger players.
A Look Back Into the Weird Saga of Balatro Age Rating Issue
Back when the PEGI rating board was still hellbent on insisting that Balatro is indeed an 18+ game, everyone who had played the game at the time knew that it was nothing like real poker. In contrast, despite having only a 3+ rating, video games like EA Sports FC 25 give players of all ages lots of chances to gamble on loot boxes along with other random prizes.
In PEGI’s own statement about Balatro last year, they said, “This game teaches – by way of images, information and gameplay – skills and knowledge that are used in poker.” Unfortunately, you can no longer look for the actual statement on PEGI’s website because they have since deleted it.
From then on, PEGI received complaints from Fireshine Games, the game’s Special Edition publisher, urging the board to truly reevaluate Balatro‘s content. The game’s developer, LocalThunk, even posted on X (formerly Twitter) to express their dismay, saying:
After the board applied the descriptor “Gambling,” which does not correctly describe the mechanics within, the title was granted a PEGI 18 rating. In a statement released today, PEGI acknowledged and agreed with these grievances with the Balatro PEGI rating following a reevaluation.
PEGI Decides to Change Balatro Game Rating for Ages to 12+
PEGI admitted that the need to update its system is highlighted by its initial Balatro grade. In order to better differentiate what games glorify and endorse gambling from those that only contain gambling-related imagery, the organization has so directed its specialists to develop a more detailed set of classification criteria.
The group said in the news section of their website, “The PEGI system continuously evolves in line with cultural expectations and the guidance of independent experts…” implying that the change brought about by Balatro will follow its 21-year custom. LocalThunk later posted on X and shared their thoughts about the matter:
It’s quite a hassle to have this kind of issue for game developers. But we are happy for LocalThunk for finally getting a fair age rating. This news is quite a good one, proving that this year’s February is a month of positive outcomes and changes for the gaming world. Gamers were even treated to the new Dota 2 map just a week ago!
But Wait, There's More—The Balatro Change Also Brought Good News to Luck Be a Landlord
Along with Balatro, the laid-back deck-building rogue-like Luck Be a Landlord, which was originally given a PEGI 18 classification, has had its age rating changed at the most recent meeting of the PEGI Complaints Board. This was due to the 2023 game’s slot machine mechanism, which forces players to bet their every coin just so they could earn rent money.
The gambling imagery in Luck Be a Landlord automatically earned it an adult-only rating, even though the theme is a direct condemnation of capitalism as opposed to a glorification of slot machines. Fortunately, after an appeal from publisher Fangamer, has now been lowered to PEGI 12.
As of the moment, PEGI did not provide a specific timeline for the completion of its new classification standards. But with the results that Balatro and Luck Be a Landlord got, it seems like the board is shifting to fairer and more nuanced standards in the future.
Why Does PEGI Matter in the Gaming World?
Simply put, PEGI’s age ratings are important because consumers use them to decide whether they’ll buy a game or not. Of course, it’s not the only factor that comes into play when a person purchases a game, but games with an 18+ and Mature (symbolized as the letter “M”) rating don’t sell too well with buyers.
This is especially true if the buyers are parents, who wouldn’t want to expose their children to anything too explicit for their age. So, if, let’s say, you made a game for children but PEGI or ESRB slapped on an M or 18+ on it, you’ve already lost 100% of your target audience.
All's Well That Ends Well for the Balatro PEGI Rating Debacle
Every good outcome in the gaming world should be celebrated, and everyone here congratulates LocalThunk and Fireshine Games for getting Balatro out of the 18+ limbo it was in!
Let us know what y’all think about this awesome news in the comments below.
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