Balatro developer 'LocalThunk' has called out ratings board 'Pan-European Game Information', A.K.A 'PEGI', for its "weirdo" decision to rate the game 18+.
The title, which recently won 'Best Independent Game', 'Best Debut Indie Game', and 'Best Mobile Game' at The Game Awards 2024, received the highest PEGI rating possible without being outright banned thanks to its apparent ability to teach players the skills and knowledge necessary for a game of poker.
LocalThunk highlighted what we've all been thinking and called out PEGI for rating games with real-life gambling mechanics, such as EA Sports FC 25, the lowest possible rating of 3+. Balatro, meanwhile, has absolutely no microtransactions or loot boxes of any kind, requiring no additional money from the player beyond the upfront cost of the game.
The developer expanded upon the original social media post and said that the decision to rate Balatro 18+ wasn't necessarily the issue, but argued that games with real-life gambling mechanics are not being rated appropriately. Honestly, we're inclined to agree. A quick search online yields immediate results in which children have rinsed their parents' bank accounts spending money on games like EA Sports FC, and while the responsibility undeniably rests with the parents, the low age rating can't be helping the situation.
Indeed, Fortnite, a title that boasts a maximum rating of 12+ across its multiple in-game modes, was found to have pushed 'dark patterns' and unwanted charges on users, leading Epic Games to pay a penalty of $540 million. But a 12-year-old can buy it with no restrictions, no worries.
It's frankly a bizarre situation in which a game that might inspire players to translate their in-game knowledge of poker to real life is rated much higher than a game that actively promotes in-game spending. But there we go.