The indie game “Balatro” is one of the most successful new games in 2024 on Steam. The solo developer behind the game, localthunk, did not expect this at all, as he says now.
What kind of game is Balatro?
- Balatro is a game of the “easy to learn, hard to master” genre: It is a variant of a deckbuilder with a focus on poker.
- The appeal of the game: What looks so simple has many facets and unfolds a lasting fascination that develops further the deeper you get into Balatro. The game has 97% positive reviews on Steam.
- Balatro costs €14 on Steam and has sold more than a million copies. The catalyst for the success was that some streamers discovered the game, and it rapidly spread from there.
Developer thought: 10 people would buy it and he would look for an IT job
This is what the developer says now: The mysterious solo developer behind Balatro, localthunk, recently wrote on Twitter:
A year ago, I was preparing to publish my strange little game on Steam and look for an IT job again. I put the shop page online in May and expected that I might sell 10 copies.
It has been a crazy year. I am so grateful that I can now do what I love professionally.
Localthunk on Twitter
Developer remains anonymous, but now likely has his dream job
What do we know about the developer? Almost nothing. As Gamesradar reports, localthunk has made sure to leave no hints about his identity. He does not even mention himself in the credits, even though he developed the entire game.
In a Zoom call, he said that besides Balatro, he has another life and the game does not determine who he is. He loves working on it. But he also loves that Balatro is a clearly separated part of his life. This way it is healthier for him.
Developer quit for Balatro and lived off savings
How did Balatro come about? As the call reveals, the developer worked as a programmer for years. He had accrued so much vacation that he had to actually take his time off. During his vacation in December 2021, he developed prototypes of games for 12 hours a day. For him, that was the perfect vacation.
Localthunk says he has been developing games for a long time, but only for his friends. He has never released one.
Balatro was created alongside his job. The developer recognized the potential in the game and wanted to dedicate more time to it. Because this increasingly conflicted with his “real job”, he quit it to focus on the new game:
- He planned to live off his savings for a while and look for a new job later.
- His main goal in finishing Balatro was to have a game to put on his resume that would help him in the new job search.
- He was apparently completely surprised by the success.
With the success of the game, the mysterious localthunk now likely has the chance to do full-time what he could only dedicate a little time to during his vacation and alongside his job.
More about Balatro:
Steam: The new indie hit is like poker, but much better – Costs only €14
