Balatro News

After junking Balatro's 18 rating, PEGI will develop "a more granular" rating system for gambling themes

Sorcerous cardgame Balatro and slot machine RPG Luck Be A Landlord have been reclassified as fit for people aged 12 years and over by the Pan European Games Information board, after they were initially slapped with an 18 rating for "glamorising... the simulation of gambling".

PEGI have made the change following a successful appeal against the 18 rating by Balatro's European publisher Sold Out and Luck Be A Landlord's Switch publisher Fangamer. They're also going to develop "a more granular set of classification criteria" for games that reference gambling, to distinguish jingling parodies of rentier capitalism from the one arm bandits found in actual casinos.

Welcoming Friends of Jimbo 4!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Customise your decks with stunning new cosmetic card skins featuring fan-favourite characters like Vault Boy, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III and more!

This update is now available on PC, Consoles & Mobile.

Balatro Turns 1 – Thank You for an Incredible Year!

One year ago, Playstack and I launched Balatro, and what a journey it has been!

I often said that I made this game for myself and that I wasn't expecting anything to become of it. Seeing so many people connect with Balatro has overwhelmingly filled this year with joy, so from the bottom of my heart thank you to all players that decided to give this game a shot. Your love and support have kept Balatro thriving, and it wouldn't be possible without you.

I am hard at work and I hope this next year will do Balatro fans proud. I appreciate you all naneinf!

- LocalThunk

"I think it’s healthier for the game that I keep my cards close to my chest" - The dev behind Balatro on what comes next after hitting 5 million copies sold

Balatro has been a mega hit, having recently reached the 5 million copies sold mark, and for now its lead developer isn't rushing to move on.

Last year's defining indie smash hit, Balatro? Not nominated for the IGF grand prize. Animal Well, which turned damn near every games journalist into a tiresome obsessive? Not nominated for anything. UFO 50, an impressive, important, big boy achievement snubbed by our own 2024 list? It did get a Grand Prize nomination.

I don't disagree with any of the nominees or absences in this year's Independent Games Festival Awards, so I don't mention any of the above to stir up trouble. Instead I look at this list and think: wow, video games are more varied than ever, so much so that there's no longer a dominant cultural narrative even within the specific niche of indie gaming.