Balatro no longer available in certain stores following an unexpected change in its classification
, by Thibaut
One of the surprises of the new year is Balatro, a poker game with roguelike elements. It's an addictive title that has met with some success and should be available on all platforms.
Launched on February 20, Balatro has just disappeared from some online stores. The Playstack studio has issued a press release announcing that it is aware of the situation. The game's withdrawal is probably due to an abrupt change in its rating from 3+ to 18+.
Indeed, agencies belatedly judged that the game "contains prominent gambling imagery and material that instructs about gambling". The studio defends itself against these accusations, stating that "Balatro does not allow or encourage gambling"*.
Just prior to release, Playstack had already had this discussion with the relevant bodies. The developer is confident that his product will remain available for purchase on major retailers such as Steam. Whatever happens, those who already own the title will still be able to download and play it.