Balatro Dev Responds to PEGI’s Unusual Rating

The developer behind the popular deck-building roguelike, Balatro, found humor in the hefty PEGI 18 rating assigned to his game. The man known only as LocalThunk from Canada, took to social media to comment on the peculiar rating his game had received.

Operating under a veil of anonymity, LocalThunk has nonetheless been a vibrant presence online, especially after his creation captured the gaming community’s attention in early 2024. Despite the acclaim, the PEGI 18 rating for Balatro, which emphasizes teaching poker mechanics, has been a topic of satire for him. PEGI argues that these mechanics could potentially promote gambling, thus justifying the age restriction.

In a witty jab on Twitter dated December 15, LocalThunk questioned if introducing genuine gambling features, a la loot boxes, might downgrade the game’s content rating. He drew attention to EA Sports FC 25, a game rated PEGI 3 despite its gambling-like features, describing the inconsistency as “comedic.”

PEGI points to Balatro’s poker-based elements as the reason for its high rating. In a twist of irony, LocalThunk, who admittedly doesn’t play poker, has gone to lengths to ensure that Balatro doesn’t advocate gambling in any form. In an interview with PC Gamer in February 2024, he expressed his decision not to allow Balatro’s intellectual property to ever fall into gambling-related hands. The game, while echoing poker’s rules, is crafted to stand independently of the real-world card game.

Interestingly, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rated Balatro at a more lenient level suitable for gamers aged 10 and up, acknowledging that it doesn’t actually offer gambling opportunities since players cannot make monetary bets. Even Germany’s USK, known for its strict ratings, placed Balatro at a more moderate 12 and up.

LocalThunk has voiced his disapproval of the PEGI rating on multiple occasions. During a Reddit AMA in March 2024, he called the rating “unwarranted” and disheartening. Yet, the stern rating didn’t hinder Balatro’s success, as the game sold over 3.5 million copies by mid-December 2024, and remarkably, secured three awards at The Game Awards 2024, tying with Metaphor: ReFantazio for second most wins.

With its strategic and thrilling gameplay, Balatro invites players to create unique synergies using poker hands and special Joker cards, all while facing escalating stakes as they progress through the game. Released in February 2024, Balatro, developed by LocalThunk and published by Playstack, continues to entertain with its innovative approach to the roguelike genre, further reinforcing its mighty OpenCritic rating.