While the jest about Balatro being a psychic prison for PC Gamer staff persists, it's important to recognize its true value. Balatro offers remarkable affordability without microtransactions or paid DLC, and despite its poker aesthetic, it has zero interest in promoting gambling behavior. However, the Pan-European Gaming Information (PEGI) system rated it 18+. Developer's Response and Hypocrisy
LocalThunk, the developer of Balatro, took to X last week to express their dissatisfaction with the 18+ rating. They sarcastically suggested adding microtransactions or loot boxes to lower the rating, highlighting the hypocrisy. EA Sports FC 25, with its microtransactions in the form of random card packs, is rated suitable for 3-year-olds. This shows the disparity between games with and without actual gambling elements.
PEGI Rating and Internal Consistency
PEGI's rating system is at least internally consistent. As of 2020, a game that encourages or teaches gambling is automatically rated 18+. Balatro does teach some basic poker rules, although it has little to do with the actual game. In contrast, loot box fixes are only available within the game. It's not like real-life casinos offer pulls on D.Va skins.
Research on Loot Boxes and Gambling
Back in 2019, a researcher from York St. John University linked videogame loot boxes to problem gambling. The more money people spend on loot boxes, the more severe their problem gambling becomes. This effect has been replicated by multiple independent labs. Problem gamblers are likely to sink money into gacha games just as they do in real-life slot machines.
Evaluating the PEGI Rating
One could make a strong argument that PEGI's rating system is somewhat antiquated. With the strong links between loot boxes and real-world gambling conditions, it raises questions about the fairness and effectiveness of the ratings. For example, comparing a game that teaches poker rules without gambling to one with real-world money gacha is a complex issue. Genshin Impact has a rating of 12+.
LocalThunk's Stance and Personal Experience
LocalThunk is strongly anti-gambling and has it in his will that casinos can't make copies of his game. He doesn't even like poker much, but he adores Balatro despite his bad luck. He expressed more irritation at the 3+ rating for games with actual gambling mechanics for children than the 18+ rating for Balatro. He finds the red logo on the 18+ rating quite appealing.
