Balatro Reclassified to PEGI 12 After Publisher's Appeal

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 placed it on the same level of content as titles like Grand Theft Auto, a decision that baffled many, including the game's developer.

However, the ratings board has now reclassified Balatro to the more fitting PEGI 12. This adjustment follows an appeal made by the game's publisher to the board, as announced by developer Localthunk on Twitter. The reclassification aligns Balatro more appropriately with its actual content.

This isn't the first time Balatro has faced scrutiny from external organizations. It was briefly removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns over its perceived gambling content. Despite this, the game does not allow players to win real money or place bets; the only use of cash within the game is as an abstract mechanic for purchasing additional cards during gameplay.

As previously mentioned, one of the primary reasons for the initial PEGI 18 rating was the game's 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 Grand Theft Auto.

The classification issue also affected Balatro on mobile platforms, despite the prevalence of in-app purchases in many mobile games. While the reclassification is a welcome change, it's disappointing that such a mistake occurred in the first place.

If you're now considering giving 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 using and which ones to avoid.