this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2024
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[–] Skullgrid@lemmy.world 392 points 1 month ago (23 children)

this is starting to be horseshit. Every windows computer has a version of fucking solitare on it , there are other card based games that don't get this treatment, and the lootboxes are actual gambling.

I thought at the start it was a type of beurocratical problem, but it's been too long.

[–] tb_@lemmy.world 158 points 1 month ago (10 children)

Not entirely sure about the European PEGI, but the American ESRB is funded by the same companies that it regulates. It was created after the outcry about violent games and was the industry self-regulating to avoid the government getting more involved.

It is a lobby group for the industry, for better and in this case very much for worse.

I assume PEGI is little different.

[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 64 points 1 month ago (2 children)

PEGI and many other groups are private groups. They're not an authority of any form. They're not associated with government, public regulation, or public election. They're a group of people that create their own standards outside of the ISO or any actual regulation representing the public.

Some countries do have actual public systems, but many just have these private groups that know best.

[–] 2pt_perversion@lemmy.world 24 points 1 month ago (7 children)

They're private groups that do the ratings but ESRB is enforced by laws in some Canadian provinces for instance and PEGI is enforced by law in some European countries. They do have a de facto authority in those places as a publisher can't just decide to disregard their ratings and sell to minors anyway or something.

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[–] Takumidesh@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

This is all well and true, but it's important to note that these organizations exist as a sidestep to regulation, they are formed by industry insiders as a promise to the regulators that they will be honest about how they rate games (or movies or music) so that the government doesn't actually get involved and do it's job.

It's a form of regulatory capture that allows the industry itself to decide what is harmful to us.

It's basically the definition of conflict of interest.

[–] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 20 points 1 month ago

To clarify: the ESRB is the rating arm. The ESA that runs it? That's the lobbying arm.

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[–] caut_R@lemmy.world 147 points 1 month ago (5 children)

They haven’t understood the game at all, I wonder if they even looked at it for more than two minutes

Run game > see playing cards and poker chips > close > PEGI 18

[–] CosmoNova@lemmy.world 94 points 1 month ago

They're not looking into blatant gambling in AAA titles, of course they won't take a closer look into an indie game. They're completely useless.

[–] pachrist@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Ah, but there are also tarot cards, which is spooky Occult voodoo magic. Balatro backwards might spell "Satan is Lord" in some ancient druidic script.

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[–] slaacaa@lemmy.world 144 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

He probably forgot to funnel millions of dollars to non-profits and businesses adjacent to PEGI decisionmakers and their family members. Rookie mistake.

[–] Eyck_of_denesle@lemmy.zip 121 points 1 month ago (11 children)

Windows comes bundled with solitaire. How is it allowed in schools?

[–] turbowafflz@lemmy.world 139 points 1 month ago (7 children)

I think the current microsoft version of solitaire has microtransactions and ads so is actually significantly worse

[–] RogueBanana@lemmy.zip 60 points 1 month ago (2 children)

They added micro transactions and ads to fucking solitaire? How have I not heard about this till now...

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 38 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This isn't really new. Solitaire has had ads for over a decade now since Windows 8, and there is a monthly premium subscription to remove them. As I understand it they also don't show during offline play, but might be wrong about that.

[–] redhorsejacket@lemmy.world 53 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Offline play? It's SOLITAIRE. Offline play should be the ONLY play, by default.

Feeling like I took crazy pills this morning...

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[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 20 points 1 month ago (7 children)

Why, how, the fuck do you add microtransactions to fucking solitaire?!

[–] Zangoose@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Step 1: Add ads into [insert app of choice here] that are really annoying

Step 2: Make people pay to get rid of them. Bonus points if it's a subscription

Step 3: People hate your app but it's the one that's installed by default so they use it anyway

Step 4: Profit

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 27 points 1 month ago

The fact that this business model earns moneu rather than car bombs annoys me.

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[–] derpgon@programming.dev 109 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Fuck PEGI, their ratings always sucked and weren't useful at all. Full blown swearing? 13+. One cigar through 500 hours of gameplay? Adults only. Never cared, never will.

[–] rimjob_rainer@discuss.tchncs.de 45 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Violence and gore? 13+. Some boobs? Adults only.

Killing good, love bad.

[–] SaharaMaleikuhm@feddit.org 17 points 1 month ago

If anybody knows about love it's rimjob_rainer.

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[–] tlou3please@lemmy.world 78 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I wish lawmakers had some balls on this subject. If there's gambling, they should have to register as a gambling company and comply with all the other restrictions on gambling advertisements in each jurisdiction.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 71 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (8 children)

The problem here is that Baltaro does not have gambling. It just uses cards and chips as the basis for playing the game. Like Magic the Gathering or Inscryption.

[–] Takumidesh@lemmy.world 49 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Using chips is even a stretch honestly. There are some chip imagery here and there but otherwise 'chips' are just how points are called.

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[–] umbraroze@lemmy.world 62 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Hngh. Balatro already had a bunch of hassle on Switch eShop due to the PEGI ratings change.

Earlier, Nintendo somehow got a PEGI 12 rating for 51 Worldwide Games, which includes poker and blackjack. I wonder what they argued to avoid the 18 rating. "Sure, this compilation has poker and blackjack, but it's not like we made it fun." (It's adequate but compared to Balatro it's very much a non-frills experience.)

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[–] moonpiedumplings@programming.dev 32 points 1 month ago (2 children)
[–] ArchRecord@lemm.ee 20 points 1 month ago

Gotta love how they saved the literal slot machine for a minute in to the video so it wouldn't be too obvious.

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[–] dragonfucker@lemmy.nz 29 points 1 month ago (5 children)

Why is he still using Twitter? Does he want a bunch of Nazis replying to him?

[–] bassomitron@lemmy.world 32 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (12 children)

Because, unfortunately, millions of people still use it. If you're selling a product, it's in your best interest to have as much social media presence as possible.

Also, it's better to have an official presence on those platforms so others can't impersonate you as easily.

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[–] tino@lemmy.world 29 points 1 month ago (3 children)

let's just do like all parents buying the last Call of Duty to their 10-year-old and just don't give a fuck about PEGI.

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[–] roguetrick@lemmy.world 28 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Reminds me of that Australian law that was proposed to make anything with a relation to casino games Restricted 18 but merely mature for exploitative slot machine loot box mechanics.

[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 18 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I haven't seen Loot Boxes in a game in awhile, I kinda prefer those to FOMO...

I think the perfect system is you earn Loot Boxes by playing that can contain anything, but you can buy the specific things you want at any time, the boxes themselves are unlocked through gameplay.

Heroes of the Storm did this, and god I miss that game.

I wish DBD did it

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[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 27 points 1 month ago

Might as well go all in on that new rating.

Balatro 1.5 Patch Notes.

  • All the Jokers now hang dong.

  • Big naturals Queens are worth double.

[–] Juigi@lemm.ee 21 points 1 month ago

NBA 2K literally had slot machine in it. System is corrupt.

[–] SaharaMaleikuhm@feddit.org 21 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Are all game rating systems just complete and utter garbage? Dare you to find a good one.

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[–] mudmaniac@lemmy.world 20 points 1 month ago

I'm hopelessly addicted to gatcha. When I saw this I bought Balatro.

[–] teslasaur@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago

When I was young I always wondered why the nhl games had a 16+ rating and Fifa had 3+. Figured both of them where ordinary sports.

Apparently fighting automatically shoots that nhl rating to the same level as GTA and balantro.

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