Hit Game Balatro Pulled From Sale On Some Stores Due To "Unfounded" Ratings Change

George Yang
3/1/2024

The hit roguelike card game, Balatro, has been pulled from some digital storefronts due to an overnight ratings change.The issue has mostly affected EU storefronts such as the Nintendo eShop and PSN Store. However, publisher PlayStack is confident that the game's availability on Steam will not be impacted. "This is not an issue with the stores themselves, however a reaction to an overnight change to Balatro's age rating from 3+ to 18+ by a ratings board without any advance warning, due to a mistaken belief that the game 'prominent gambling imagery and material that instructs about gambling,'" the developer said in a statement.PlayStack also clarified that it doesn't encourage or allow gambling, and finds the ratings decision "unfounded." PlayStack brought up this specific topic with the ratings board back in October and was given a 3+ rating instead of 18+.Continue Reading at GameSpot...

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