I put this in the other post too. This is literally their description on steam.
Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory.
Combined with playing actual poker hands, yeah that’s going to get tagged for gambling. They knew what they were doing and this performative outrage is a viral marketing campaign.
If Balatro is gambling then so is every game that has a chance based mechanic. Genshin Impact is PEGI 12 and you can spend money on loot boxes, which is absolutely gambling. Balatro is identical to Hades, except you fight with cards.
The law is poorly written, or is being applied incorrectly here. Balatro is in no way simulating a casino, which I’d be more inclined to say games that do that should have a more mature rating. Bit of a slippery slope though, nothing stops a casino from adding a new game that mimics an existing genre of video game mechanics, and then regulators saying the entire genre is gambling. It’s all pearl clutching, not backed by any science, etc. made by the same people that want to ban Mortal Kombat and think Counter Strike causes school shootings.
They could release just swap a dozen words, it wouldn’t get this rating. None of those words are required for it to be a good game. The essence of gambling that society wants to protect children from is not part of Balatro any more than it is Solitaire.
Eh I played when the OG Mortal Kombat came out all the time at the local pizza place when I was like 9, and I turned out fine. I’ve only murdered a handful of people so far. It’s not like I became a cop or anything like that.
Yeah, I’m not worried my kids will become serial killers or something, but I am a little worried about them “playing” Mortal Kombat in real life w/ their friends. I had friends who practiced “professional wrestling” moves, and I’m worried someone could get hurt reenacting what they saw in the games. My kids reeenact DND/FF-style things w/ friends, and fortunately that’s pretty harmless.
By the time I was about 12 or so, I stopped doing that kind of reenactment, so I think that’s a decent time to let kids start playing those games. I’ve played a ton of violent video games (lots of Halo, GTA, etc), and I’m pretty chill and would never hurt a fly. Video games don’t cause misbehavior, but they certainly attract deviants who would likely hurt others anyway.
I put this in the other post too. This is literally their description on steam.
Combined with playing actual poker hands, yeah that’s going to get tagged for gambling. They knew what they were doing and this performative outrage is a viral marketing campaign.
If Balatro is gambling then so is every game that has a chance based mechanic. Genshin Impact is PEGI 12 and you can spend money on loot boxes, which is absolutely gambling. Balatro is identical to Hades, except you fight with cards.
The law is poorly written, or is being applied incorrectly here. Balatro is in no way simulating a casino, which I’d be more inclined to say games that do that should have a more mature rating. Bit of a slippery slope though, nothing stops a casino from adding a new game that mimics an existing genre of video game mechanics, and then regulators saying the entire genre is gambling. It’s all pearl clutching, not backed by any science, etc. made by the same people that want to ban Mortal Kombat and think Counter Strike causes school shootings.
They could release just swap a dozen words, it wouldn’t get this rating. None of those words are required for it to be a good game. The essence of gambling that society wants to protect children from is not part of Balatro any more than it is Solitaire.
To be fair, Mortal Kombat is pretty brutal and I don’t want my kids playing it until they’re older.
Eh I played when the OG Mortal Kombat came out all the time at the local pizza place when I was like 9, and I turned out fine. I’ve only murdered a handful of people so far. It’s not like I became a cop or anything like that.
Yeah, I’m not worried my kids will become serial killers or something, but I am a little worried about them “playing” Mortal Kombat in real life w/ their friends. I had friends who practiced “professional wrestling” moves, and I’m worried someone could get hurt reenacting what they saw in the games. My kids reeenact DND/FF-style things w/ friends, and fortunately that’s pretty harmless.
By the time I was about 12 or so, I stopped doing that kind of reenactment, so I think that’s a decent time to let kids start playing those games. I’ve played a ton of violent video games (lots of Halo, GTA, etc), and I’m pretty chill and would never hurt a fly. Video games don’t cause misbehavior, but they certainly attract deviants who would likely hurt others anyway.
Super Mario 64 DS and New Super Mario Bros both include poker. PEGI rated them 3+.