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

LocalThunk, a solo developer working under the pseudonym, achieved a phenomenal success with their game Balatro in 2024. Selling over 5 million copies, Balatro became a genuine indie sensation, shaking up the gaming industry and earning multiple awards at The Game Awards 2024. This level of success was completely unexpected, both for the developer and players alike.

Initially, LocalThunk anticipated modest reviews, predicting a score in the 6-7 range due to the game's unconventional concept. However, a stunning 91 score from PC Gamer, followed by similarly high praise from other critics, propelled Balatro to an impressive 90 on Metacritic and OpenCritic. This was a huge surprise to LocalThunk, who admitted they would have personally rated the game no higher than an 8.

Playstack, the publisher, played a crucial role in the game's success through proactive press engagement before release. Yet, the true catalyst was overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth marketing, resulting in sales exceeding initial projections by 10 to 20 times. The first 24 hours on Steam saw an incredible 119,000 copies sold—an experience the developer described as the most surreal moment of their life.

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