Developer of the card game Balatro criticizes strange age classification

The developer of Balatro criticizes the PEGI rating of his game as 18+. The card-based roguelite is rated strictly because of “evil playing cards”, while games like EA Sports PC – despite gambling loot boxes – are released for ages three and up. Balatro

Controversy over age ratings for video games

The developer of the popular card game Balatro, LocalThunk, has once again criticized the age rating of its game. Balatro, an innovative roguelite game with poker elements, received an 18+ rating from the Pan European Game Information (PEGI), which is responsible for age ratings. According to PEGI, this rating is based on the fact that the game teaches poker game mechanics that could theoretically be transferred to real gambling.

LocalThunk is frustrated by this assessment, especially when compared to other games on the market. He emphasizes that Balatro does not contain any real gambling components or microtransactions. Still, it carries the “Adults Only” label, while titles with actual gambling elements receive significantly lower ratings. Balatro: Gameplay trailer for the indie card game hit

Developer vents his anger

On X the developer vented his anger in a series of sarcastic posts. He joked:

Since PEGI gave us an 18+ rating because of evil playing cards, maybe I should add microtransactions/loot boxes/real gambling to lower that rating to 3+ like EA Sports FC. LocalThunk, developer of Balatro

This comparison highlights the discrepancy in evaluation practices: While Balatro is criticized for its poker aesthetic, sports games like EA FC 24 contain mechanics such as packs of cards, which many believe are much closer to gambling. LocalThunk emphasizes that he is less concerned with the rating of his own game and more with the inconsistent handling of other titles with “real gambling mechanics for children”.

Debate about gambling elements

Loot boxes and similar mechanics have been the subject of debate for years because they often operate in a legal gray area. While some countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands have classified it as gambling and banned it, many other regions lack clear legal regulation. Despite the controversy surrounding the age rating, Balatro enjoys great popularity. With over 3.5 million copies sold and various awards, the game has firmly established itself in the indie scene.