Hello, my tech-savvy friends! It’s your favorite funny guy, Nuked, here to bring you the latest in gaming news with a sprinkle of humor. Let’s dive into the quirky world of Balatro and its rating woes!

The mastermind behind the poker roguelike Balatro, known as LocalThunk, is feeling a bit miffed about the game’s 18-plus rating in Europe. They recently took to X to express their frustrations, jokingly suggesting that maybe they should add microtransactions or loot boxes to lower the rating to a cozy 3-plus—just like EA Sports FC. You know, because nothing says “family-friendly” like virtual gambling!

Balatro’s journey with ratings has been quite the rollercoaster. Initially hitting the scene with a 3-plus rating upon its February launch, it wasn’t long before PEGI decided it was too spicy for younger audiences and bumped it up to 18-plus. As a result, the game found itself temporarily delisted from various digital storefronts in some regions. Talk about a dramatic plot twist!

According to PEGI, the game earned its adult rating due to “prominent gambling imagery.” The rating comes with some specifics: Balatro teaches players about poker skills through images and gameplay. Players earn ‘chips’ for certain hands and can even learn what cards they need to play specific poker hands. It’s all very educational—if you want to take your poker game to the next level, that is!

However, it’s important to note that while Balatro features poker elements, it doesn’t actually involve real gambling. LocalThunk has even gone so far as to declare in their will that Balatro can’t be sold or licensed to any gambling companies. Now that’s commitment!

LocalThunk isn’t just upset about their game; they’re also raising eyebrows at the 3-plus ratings for games like EA Sports FC that include real gambling mechanics aimed at kids. “I’m way more irked at those games than I am about Balatro having an 18-plus rating,” they said over the weekend. Seems like there’s a bit of a double standard here!

In an attempt to address the issue directly with PEGI, LocalThunk found themselves hitting a brick wall. According to them, PEGI believes there’s nothing wrong with Balatro’s rating or with EA Sports FC being rated so low. They cited EU laws and storefront policies as part of their reasoning—classic bureaucratic red tape!

As of now, PEGI has yet to respond to inquiries regarding this peculiar situation. One thing’s for sure: Balatro’s creator is not backing down without a fight! Stay tuned for more updates on this gaming saga.