LocalThunk’s Balatro Removed from European Switch eShops Following Ratings Controversy
Roguelike Deckbuilder Balatro Removed Without Warning
In a surprising turn of events, the highly acclaimed roguelike deckbuilder, Balatro, developed by LocalThunk, has been abruptly removed from various Switch eShops in Europe. The removal came after the game’s age rating was changed from 3+ to 18+ by European ratings board PEGI.
Publisher’s Disappointment and Response
The publisher, Playstack, expressed their disappointment with the actions of the ratings board in a statement released on Twitter. Playstack had previously addressed the issue with the ratings board in October 2023 and obtained a 3+ rating. The publisher vehemently denies the presence of any gambling themes or mechanics in Balatro and believes the ratings decision to be unfounded.
To our amazing fans,
We are aware that Balatro has been temporarily removed from sale on a number of digital stores in some countries on console platforms, meaning that some new customers will be unable to buy it. Presently we cannot estimate with complete confidence which stores it will be removed from, but our hope is that only a minority of stores will be affected. We are highly confident that the game will remain available on PC stores, including Steam.
Anyone who has already purchased the game will still be able to play it.
Please rest assured we are working as hard as we can to get the game back on sale as soon as possible. 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 “contains prominent gambling imagery and material that instructs about gambling”.
Balatro does not allow or encourage gambling – and we fundamentally believe the ratings decision is unfounded. Balatro was developed by someone who is staunchly anti-gambling, and painstaking care has been taken to ensure that the game does not feature gambling mechanics of any kind.
In a tweet accompanying the statement, Playstack expressed their gratitude to the fans and their apology for the inconvenience caused by the removal of Balatro. They mentioned the recent 10/10 review the game received from NintendoLife and reassured players that the game will be back for sale, possibly with a temporary 18+ rating while the issue is resolved.
We at our news website, Nintendo Life, had just published our review of Balatro when the news of its removal from European Switch eShops came to light.
Balatro is still available for purchase on the US Switch eShop with an ESRB rating of 10+ and a mention of “Gambling Themes”.
For European Switch gamers looking forward to the game, unfortunately, they will have to wait until the issue is resolved.
Stay tuned for further updates on the situation.
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