In 2024, the indie game Balatro, crafted by the solo developer known as LocalThunk, emerged as a phenomenal success, selling over 5 million copies. This unexpected triumph sent shockwaves through the gaming industry, catapulting the game to stardom and securing multiple accolades at The Game Awards 2024. Neither the game's creator nor its players anticipated such a meteoric rise.
LocalThunk, who had braced for moderate reviews around 6-7 points due to the game's unconventional concept, was astounded when PC Gamer awarded Balatro a stellar 91. This high praise was echoed by other critics, propelling the game to an impressive 90 points on both Metacritic and OpenCritic. Even LocalThunk himself admitted he would have given his creation no more than an 8 out of 10.
The publisher, Playstack, played a crucial role in this success story, diligently engaging with the media before the game's launch. However, the true catalyst for Balatro's sales surge was the power of word of mouth, which propelled the game's performance to exceed projections by 10-20 times. Remarkably, within the first 24 hours of its release on Steam, Balatro sold 119,000 copies—a moment LocalThunk described as the most surreal of his life.
Overwhelmed by the game's success, LocalThunk confessed that he has no universal formula to offer other indie developers seeking similar triumphs.
