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The creator of Balatro did not expect such a grand success for his game

by Zoe Mar 15,2025

LocalThunk, a solo developer working under the pseudonym, achieved a remarkable feat in 2024 with their indie game, Balatro. Selling over 5 million copies, Balatro not only became a surprise hit but also significantly impacted the gaming industry, earning multiple awards at The Game Awards 2024. This level of success was unexpected, even for the creator.

Initially, given the game's unconventional design, LocalThunk anticipated modest reviews, perhaps in the 6-7 range. However, a stunning 91/100 score from PC Gamer, followed by similarly high praise from other critics, propelled Balatro to an impressive 90 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic. This outcome astonished LocalThunk, who admitted to a self-assessment of only 8/10.

Playstack, the publisher, contributed significantly to the game's success through proactive press engagement before launch. Yet, the true catalyst was overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth marketing. This organic buzz resulted in sales exceeding initial projections by a factor of 10 to 20. The game's Steam launch saw 119,000 copies sold within the first 24 hours—a moment the developer described as incredibly surreal.

The overwhelming success of Balatro has left its creator unable to offer a definitive formula for other indie developers to replicate this achievement.

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