Following its five nominations at The Game Awards 2024, the indie poker roguelike Balatro has experienced a significant surge in sales, raking in over $700,000 in just one week. Originally launched on PC and consoles back in February, Balatro made its way to mobile platforms by late September, garnering close to $4.4 million from iOS and Android users.
Ever since its debut in early 2024, Balatro has captured the gaming world with its dynamic and accessible gameplay, quickly becoming a favorite among casual and dedicated players alike. Developed by the one-man team at LocalThunk, this innovative game revolves around crafting poker hands to hit target scores, with a collection of over 150 Joker cards that introduce special abilities and multipliers. Easy to dive into yet challenging to master, Balatro is perfectly suited for those seeking quick entertainment. As 2024 wraps up, this captivating title continues to gain momentum, not only financially but also in terms of prestigious award nominations.
According to PocketGamer, the mobile version of Balatro, released on September 26, made quite a splash, pulling in $1 million during its first week. However, the game’s recent nominations for notable awards like Best Game Direction, Best Mobile Game, Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game, and Game of the Year, have further fueled its popularity, pushing its earnings to $727,000 in the past week alone. Amidst stiff competition from titles like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Black Myth: Wukong, it will be intriguing to see if Balatro manages to snatch the coveted Game of the Year award on December 12.
Balatro hasn’t slowed down since its launch, introducing several updates along the way. A May patch brought new Joker cards and fresh mechanics like Perishable and Rental Jokers. The game has also embraced collaborations through its “Friends of Jimbo” updates, allowing players to customize face cards with iconic characters from various games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Cyberpunk 2077, and Stardew Valley, among others. LocalThunk is eager to explore more collaborations in the future, showcasing a continual expansion of this immersive universe.
Looking ahead, Balatro is set to receive its first major update in 2025. Though details remain under wraps, LocalThunk promises this free update will deliver novel strategies and ideas as a thank you to their dedicated fanbase. By August 2024, the game had already sold over 2 million copies, a testament to its soaring success and widespread appeal.
Balatro stands out as a unique blend of strategy and roguelike elements, engaging players through alluring deck-building mechanics that involve crafting strategic poker hands and discovering powerful Joker cards to forge unpredictable combos. Between facing daring blinds and advancing through hidden challenges, players must use every advantage they can muster to reach the climactic boss blind, defeat the final ante, and claim victory. Released on February 20, 2024, and powered by the LÖVE engine, Balatro, developed by LocalThunk and published by Playstack, boasts an ESRB rating of E for Everyone and has been hailed as a “Mighty” success by OpenCritic.
