Balatro, the breakout hit from LocalThunk and Playstack, has been removed from digital storefronts after receiving gambling allegations.
For the uninitiated, Balatro is not a gambling-themed game but instead a poker-inspired roguelike deckbuilder. The game is incredibly addictive (we can’t stop playing it) and has received critical acclaim, sitting at 90/100 on Metacritic. Unfortunately, all the praise in the world couldn’t stop Balatro from being removed from storefronts.
Why was Balatro Removed from Digital Storefronts
Balatro was removed from digital storefronts due to an overnight change to Balatro’s age rating that took it from ages 3+ to 18+ without any warning. The ratings board made this decision due to the belief that the game “contains prominent gambling imagery and material that instructs about gambling.”
The developers have made a statement mentioning that the game hasn’t altered since the original change of a 3+ age rating when they first met with the board in October and that 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.”
Fortunately, the publisher, Playstack, quickly informed the community of the storefront removal and the situation at hand. You can check out the full announcement below.
Is Balatro Available to Purchase on Digital Storefronts Again?
At the time of writing, Balatro is available on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox in Australia. However, it is still unavailable on the Nintendo Switch. Nevertheless, those who have already purchased Balatro can still play the game without any issues. This situation involves those who are looking to join in on the fun.
That’s everything you need to know about Balatro being removed from digital storefronts. Make sure you check out our Guide Hub for more articles and news on the game.