Frequent readers (and why wouldn't you be?) may recall one of the more oddball stories last year about Balatro, the roguelike deckbuilder, which was initially classified as PEGI 18 by rating boards. This rating placed it on the same level as content akin to Grand Theft Auto, which naturally baffled many, including the developer.

However, it seems that PEGI has recognized their error and reclassified Balatro to the more fitting PEGI 12 rating. According to developer Localthunk, who shared the news on Twitter, this change came about in part due to an appeal by Balatro's publisher to the board.

This isn't the first time Balatro has faced scrutiny from external organizations. It was briefly removed from the Nintendo eShop due to concerns over perceived gambling content. This is despite the fact that players cannot win real money or place bets; the only use of cash in the game is as an abstract means to purchase more cards within each run.

The house always wins
As mentioned earlier, one of the primary reasons for Balatro's initial classification was its depiction of gambling-adjacent imagery. Essentially, the concern was that players might learn about concepts like a straight flush or a flush.

This misclassification has been frustrating, especially since it extended to platforms like mobile, despite the prevalence of in-app transactions across many games. While it's better late than never, the initial rating should not have occurred in the first place.

If this news is finally swaying you to try out Balatro, why not check out our tier list of Jokers? It will help you determine which of these game-changing cards are worth your time and which ones aren't.