Localthunk, the enigmatic creator behind the new poker-themed deckbuilder Balatro, had no idea the game would be successful until the day before it launched.
In a recent Reddit AMA, the developer said they "knew the game was going to be fun for myself about a week before launch day, just really happy with how well it turned out for my sake." However, it wasn't until even closer to release that they realized its potential for much broader appeal.
"The day before launch is when it really started hitting home that this could be something successful, when all the major media outlets started releasing their reviews of the game," they said. "I was not expecting the critical reception it ended up receiving because I know how weird this game looks and feels in many ways."
Balatro, yet another surprise smash hit of 2024 following Palworld and Helldivers 2, managed to sell more than 500,000 copies in just 10 days, a testament to its ingenious marriage of poker-like rules, deckbuilding mechanics, and roguelite elements. In addition to the myriad metrics by which you can call Balatro a massive success, Localthunk revealed in the AMA that "the game has been played for well over 1500 years on steam at this point!"
Despite all of its success, Balatro hasn't had an entirely smooth ride. Earlier this month, it had its age rating increased and was removed from Nintendo UK's storefront for pushing gambling. Although it's since been brought back, its rating on various storefronts still mentions "Gambling Themes," something Localthunk doesn't agree with but says "it is what it is."
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