Balatro Dev Responds to PEGI’s Unusual Rating with Strong Rebuttal

LocalThunk, the developer behind the popular roguelike deck-building game Balatro, found himself jesting at the stringent PEGI 18 rating his game received. The developer quipped about this high rating, calling it “comedy” in nature and even pondered, with a hint of sarcasm, whether incorporating actual gambling mechanics could lower the rating. He drew attention to EA Sports FC 25, a game sporting a PEGI 3 rating despite containing such elements.

Despite being a one-person operation based in Canada and maintaining an air of mystery about his identity, LocalThunk has been active and vocal on social media platforms. With Balatro taking the gaming community by storm in early 2024, he has managed to keep a steady presence online.

In a light-hearted Twitter post dated December 15, LocalThunk critiqued the PEGI 18 rating, humorously considering the addition of gambling mechanics like loot boxes as a method to possibly attract a lower rating. He specifically referenced EA Sports FC 25, pointing out the irony of a lower-rated game with embedded gambling features compared to his higher-rated Balatro. To him, the disparity in ratings was pure “comedy.”

The high rating from PEGI stems from Balatro’s strong gambling imagery that, they argue, simplifies learning how to play real poker. However, LocalThunk himself has publically stated that he doesn’t engage in poker, adding in a February interview with PC Gamer that he hoped Balatro would never encourage gambling. This commitment even led to a will that outlines the IP never being sold to gambling entities. Though its rules might brush up against poker, the intention was never to endorse the game.

While Balatro doesn’t include wagering in its gameplay, which eliminates the gambling aspect of poker, the ESRB recognized this difference when it gave Balatro a more lenient rating, suitable for those aged 10 and up. Even Germany’s USK, known for its stringent rating policies, listed Balatro fit for ages 12 and older.

But this isn’t the first time LocalThunk has criticized PEGI’s rating of his game. In a Reddit AMA back in March 2024, he described the rating as “unwarranted” and disappointing. Despite this, the high age rating didn’t impede Balatro’s success. As of mid-December 2024, the game has sold over 3.5 million copies and secured three awards at The Game Awards 2024, tying for the second-most wins alongside Metaphor: ReFantazio.

For further insight and information, references include PC Gamer, LocalThunk’s social media, ESRB, USK, and Reddit exchanges from LocalThunk himself.