Balatro's "Evil Cards" Earn It an 18+ Rating—Seriously?!

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Balatro Dev Flips Out Over "Evil Playing Cards" 18+ Rating art
Balatro Dev Flips Out Over "Evil Playing Cards" 18+ Rating art

Balatro Dev Flips Out Over "Evil Playing Cards" 18+ Rating

The indie game Balatro just got an 18+ rating from PEGI, and the developer is not happy. But why? Apparently, it's all because of... playing cards?

Here's the deal:

  • Balatro uses mechanics inspired by poker.
  • PEGI slapped it with an 18+ rating because it "teaches gambling."
  • The developer thinks this is ridiculous, especially since games with loot boxes (think random in-game purchases) get a measly 3+ rating. Talk about mixed messages!

What's the dev saying?

He's basically like, "Seriously? My game doesn't involve real money gambling, but these loot box games do? Come on, PEGI!"

Should you care?

Well, it's a good point. Are games with cartoon characters and random item drops really less risky than learning some basic poker strategy?

The bottom line:

This whole situation highlights a potential issue with game ratings. Maybe it's time for a refresh? ‍

P.S. Don't worry, Balatro is still totally worth checking out, even if you can't count cards in real life. Just maybe avoid Vegas with the dev... dude seems cursed with bad luck.

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BalatroPEGI RatingGame RatingsLoot BoxesVideo Game ControversyIndie GamesGambling in Video Games