"Balatro" developer wins legal dispute: game receives 12+ rating
Victory in the legal dispute, a new DLC and inclusion in the Xbox Game Pass. The success story of the indie game "Balatro" continues.
The developer of the popular indie game "Balatro" has won a significant victory in its legal battle against the Pan European Game Information (PEGI). Originally given an 18+ age rating, the game has now been downgraded to a 12+ rating. The developer's appeal was successful, as PEGI determined that the game explains poker combinations but contains enough fantasy elements to justify a lower age rating.
"Balatro", a roguelike deckbuilder that combines classic poker mechanics with unique joker cards, has sold more than five million copies since its release. The game has also received numerous awards. In January alone, it was purchased over one million times. On Steam, "Balatro" has 98.12 per cent positive reviews.
The developer localthunk expressed its dissatisfaction with the original PEGI decision, as similar games were given lower ratings. You can read more detailed information in my first article on the legal dispute and the 18+ rating controversy:
Further successful appeal and new criteria in the PEGI system in future
PEGI has also changed the age rating for the game "Luck Be A Landlord" from 18+ to 12+ following a successful appeal by publisher Fangamer. The arguments are similar to those of the "Balatro" case. "Although the game has a slot machine mechanic, there are no specific transferable gambling skills," explains PEGI.
PEGI now plans to develop more detailed criteria for the classification of games with gambling themes in order to avoid similar situations in the future. The company recognises the Complaints Committee's decision and is committed to applying rating criteria fairly, consistently and transparently, according to the announcement.
Announcement of the next player expansion
In addition to this success, the developer announced the next game expansion for "Balatro": "Friends of Jimbo (Pack 4)". This expansion brings new content and collaborations with popular game series such as "Assassin's Creed", "Fallout", "Rust", "Dead by Daylight" and "Sid Meier's Civilization VII". The DLC is available immediately on all platforms and offers players new map skins.
In total, the expansion includes a co-operation with 24 games and adds 72 guest characters as face cards for free.
New in the Xbox Game Pass
In addition, "Balatro" was added to the Xbox Game Pass yesterday. This unexpected addition allows the game to be played on Xbox consoles and PC at no extra cost. This should only further increase the number of players.
Header image: Playstack
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