Balatro, the roguelike deckbuilder, has received a PEGI rating reclassification, moving from PEGI 18 to PEGI 12. This decision, following an appeal by the publisher to the ratings board, addresses concerns that the initial PEGI 18 rating—which placed it alongside games like Grand Theft Auto in terms of content—was inaccurate. The developer, Localthunk, announced the change on Twitter.

This isn't Balatro's first encounter with regulatory hurdles; it was briefly removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns about its depiction of gambling. This, despite the game's in-game currency being solely used for purchasing cards within each run, with no real-money transactions or betting involved.

The PEGI 18 rating stemmed from the game's use of gambling-related imagery, a factor that seemingly led to the initial comparison with mature-rated titles. This misclassification, frustratingly, extended to mobile platforms, despite the prevalence of in-app purchases in many mobile games.

The updated PEGI 12 rating offers a more accurate reflection of Balatro's content. If this news piques your interest, consider checking out our tier list of Jokers to help you strategize your gameplay.