In the year 2024, the card game Balatro made waves and became the standout game of the year for many institutions. However, Balatro faced issues with the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) rating system in Europe due to its nature as a poker card game, leading PEGI to rate it as 18+ (gambling) instead of a game for general players (age 3+).
This PEGI rating had repercussions on the sales channels for Balatro, potentially limiting its availability in retail stores. @localthunk, the creator of Balatro, expressed dissatisfaction with the rating system, highlighting the inconsistency of a simple card game receiving an 18+ rating while games with loot boxes and real gambling mechanisms like EA Sports FC received lower ratings like 3+.
In response to an appeal by the game’s distributor Sold Out Sales & Marketing, PEGI decided to lower the rating of Balatro to 12+, acknowledging some flaws in their rating system and pledging to refine their rating process for games in the future.
TLDR: Balatro faced challenges with the PEGI rating system due to its nature as a poker card game, leading to a reclassification from 18+ to 12+ after an appeal. This move by PEGI signifies a step towards a more nuanced rating system that considers different aspects of games.
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