One Year Later, Balatro Proves it Can Stand Among Giants

On February 20, 2024, Balatro hit the scene. At the time, the arrival of a deck-building game with roguelike elements may have seemed like a strange combination, but Balatro has proven that its simple premise is able to pack a serious punch. One year later, Balatro stands as one of the biggest successes of 2024, going up against a roster of major releases.

Created by solo developer LocalThunk, Balatro has become a strong addition to the list of indie hits that have been crafted by a single person. Games like Stardew Valley and Undertale share humble beginnings that eventually launched into something far larger, and Balatro has taken up the same mantle. As Balatro continues to hit impressive milestones, the past year is a reminder that even small, solo-developed projects can make massive waves.

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Balatro Has Proven Itself Worthy of Praise

A Year Filled With Accolades

The beginning of 2024 was a huge moment for smaller studios, in general. Palworld and Helldivers 2 kicked things off with a bang, making Balatro‘s release date arrive at the perfect time. Early 2024 set the tone for the rest of the year, marking it as a major win for non-AAA titles. By the end of 2024, Balatro had racked up an incredibly strong player-base. Not only was the card game successful from a financial standpoint, but it was also a critical success, as well. LocalThunk’s charming deck-builder ended the year strong with an onslaught of award nominations and wins that brought even more attention to the game, broadening its audience further.

Balatro Makes History at The Game Awards

One of the most impressive marks of honor Balatro received is its Game of the Year nomination. Balatro may not be the first card game to be nominated for the award, but it is the first time in the history of the ceremony that a solo-developed game has ever been nominated for Game of the Year. This alone is a testament to Balatro‘s impressive reach, as it was up against the likes of Astro Bot and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. The indie hit may have not won the award, but it definitely didn’t leave The Game Awards empty-handed, taking home three trophies:

• Best Independent Game
• Best Debut Indie
• Best Mobile Game

After the awards show, LocalThunk joked about the three wins for Balatro, asking followers on social media if anyone had recommendations for a sturdy trophy shelf. The Game Awards wasn’t the only ceremony Balatro was involved in, either. The Golden Joystick Awards and the Steam Awards were just a few of the handful of events that nominated the game in various categories.

After Balatro’s Strong First Year, 2025 Hopefully Brings Even More Success

Despite its simple premise, Balatro has serious replayability, which bodes incredibly well for the card-based title. Balatro has already featured high-profile crossovers that set the stage for even more collaborations in the future. This type of post-launch content ensures longevity for Balatro, and it’s exciting to think about what other franchises could be featured in the game next.

Balatro isn’t the first solo-developed game to make such a huge splash by any means, but it serves as a strong demonstration of how the most surprising of titles can become massive hits. As the game enters its second year, Balatro‘s future continues to look bright. With its colorful art direction and simple, but addictive, gameplay loop, Balatro has proven in its first year that it has what it takes to stand on the same stage as industry heavy-hitters.

Game

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Strategy

Digital Card Game

Roguelike

Released

February 20, 2024

ESRB

E For Everyone

Developer(s)

LocalThunk

Publisher(s)

Playstack