Last year was a banner year for gaming, but one title that truly stood out and captivated both players and critics was the indie roguelike, Balatro. Developed single-handedly, this game not only garnered critical acclaim but also achieved phenomenal commercial success, with sales surpassing an impressive 5 million copies!
Just over a month ago, LocalThunk, the game's developer, was celebrating the milestone of 3.5 million copies sold. In an astonishing turn of events, Balatro managed to sell an additional 1.5 million copies in just about 40 days. This surge can likely be attributed to the "The Game Awards effect," a phenomenon LocalThunk hinted at in a tweet.
Harvey Elliott, CEO of publisher Playstack, described this milestone as an incredible achievement deserving of celebration. He also expressed immense pride in the efforts of both Balatro's developer and the Playstack team.
Even nearly a year after its release, Balatro continues to thrive. The card-based roguelike game keeps players engaged with ongoing updates and exciting collaborations. Recently, it even set a new personal record for peak concurrent players on Steam, demonstrating its enduring appeal and success.