GamesRoguelikeBalatroRoguelike hit Balatro accused of pushing gambling, removed from stores as publisher asks fans to “stop calling this game ‘crack cocaine’ before the FDA comes after us too"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesRoguelikeBalatroRoguelike hit Balatro accused of pushing gambling, removed from stores as publisher asks fans to “stop calling this game ‘crack cocaine’ before the FDA comes after us too"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Playstack)
Balatro, the hot new roguelike card game of the moment, has been pulled from several digital storefronts after its age rating was changed due to perceived gambling concerns. In response, publisher Playstack Games says the ratings decision is “unfounded” and vows to fight back against Balatro’s removal.
After poking around online myself, the self-styled “definitive poker roguelike” is still available on all major platforms in North America, but it has been tagged witha 10+ ESRB ratingand a disclosure for “Gambling Themes.” Notably, theUK XboxandPlayStation storeshave it listed with a PEGI 18 rating and a disclosure for “Prominent Gambling Imagery.” The Nintendo UK store, however, seems to have removed the game entirely for the time being.
In a statement, Playstack Games say it’s “confident the game will remain available on PC stores, including Steam,” explaining that an abrupt increase in the game’s age rating is what led stores to change how it’s listed. “Please rest assured we are working as hard as we can to get the game back on sale as soon as possible.”
“The game content has not changed since the age rating was amended to 3+,” Playstack maintains.
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Amusingly, Playstack PR manager Wout van Halderen chimed in, “While we’re at it, can y’all stop calling this game ‘crack cocaine’ before the FDA comes after us too?”
While we’re at it, can y’all stop calling this game “Crack cocaine” before the FDA comes after us too? https://t.co/Xvxbai42vmMarch 1, 2024
While we’re at it, can y’all stop calling this game “Crack cocaine” before the FDA comes after us too? https://t.co/Xvxbai42vmMarch 1, 2024
For their part, anonymous developerLocalThunk says, “I do not condone gambling (staking something personally valuable on an uncertain event) nor do I believe that Balatro contains gambling.
“I did add risk/reward mechanics and RNG to Balatro, but these are core mechanics to the genre at large.”
“There are some ideas I have that would be fun to explore. More Joker cards – they’re just fun to make, and I try and make them clever or add references to things that I’ve experienced, and the art is fun to make. I do see myself working on this for some time.”
Here are thebest card gamesto shuffle through in 2024.
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