Why One GOTY Nominee is Already Winning Regardless of The Game Awards

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 1, 2024 39 Views 6 Min Read
Why One GOTY Nominee is Already Winning Regardless of The Game Awards



The Game Awards season is always a somewhat contentious time of the year. Gamers from around the world tend to take to the internet to lament various TGA snubs or, in some cases, make an argument against the inclusion of other games which may be viewed as overrated or otherwise unworthy of such high praise.




This is what has been happening, in some corners of social media, regarding Balatro, 2024’s breakout, poker-based indie hit that managed to nab a coveted Game of the Year nod. Those unfamiliar with Balatro have occasionally argued that it shouldn’t be treated with such reverence, as it is “just a card game,” lacking the gameplay variety, high-fidelity graphics, and production value of flashier titles like Stellar Blade or Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. But these claims simply don’t reflect Balatro‘s booming success, nor its undeniable impact on the world of indie gaming and the roguelike genre. Indeed, Balatro is a winner, regardless of how The Game Awards shake out.

Balatro Cyberpunk Crossover

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Cyberpunk 2077’s Balatro Crossover Explained

Balatro has continued to be one of 2024’s biggest Indie games, and its Cyberpunk 2077 crossover is sure to keep it in the public eye for a bit longer.

Balatro Could Very Well Be 2024’s Indie Darling


Despite Stiff Competition, Balatro Rises Above the Crowd

2024 has been an incredible year for indie titles. Games like Neva and Animal Well (which are competing against Balatro at The Game Awards), have stuck out as powerful, unique, and innovative experiences that remind audiences of the power of the indie scene, and there are many other independent games that have yet to receive their due success. But Balatro isn’t one of them; the gaming world has been singing its praises for months now.

Balatro‘s booming sales alone indicate how great an impact it has left on the games industry: since its release on iOS (a wise decision, considering its simple and addictive gameplay), it has roped in a whopping $4.4 million USD, making it one of the most financially successful indies of the year. The fact that Balatro comes from a solo developer, lacks microtransactions despite its casino-themed premise, and has grown its popularity through grassroots means, makes it a major win for the games industry.


Balatro Is More Than Deserving of Its GOTY Nomination

As previously mentioned, there has been some discourse about Balatro‘s nomination for the Game of the Year Awards at TGA, mostly from those unfamiliar with it. While it may not beat out other GOTY nominees like Metaphor Refantazio and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, which are far more ambitious, big-budget, and palatable to mainstream audiences, it can certainly hold its own, which is saying something. Moreover, its unmatched addictiveness and ingenious gameplay loop make it deserving of at least some recognition as a Game of the Year contender. Quite frankly, there are probably a lot of gamers who have spent more time with Balatro than any of 2024’s other leading AAA games.


The hours of collective productivity lost to Balatro are enough to lead to a wide-scale economic collapse, theoretically, anyway. But for those who have played the game, that might just be a worthwhile price to pay, as Balatro offers the best price-to-enjoyment ratio of any game since Vampire Survivors, while being surprisingly deep, nuanced, and engaging. Make no mistake, Balatro is no game to simply turn one’s brain off: it rewards strategy and forethought just as much as luck, and no two runs are the same. It puts a number of other, far more expensive, roguelike games to shame, and its booming success is indicative of that. Hopefully, its GOTY nomination continues to get it the attention it deserves.

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