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Balatro, a game developed by solo creator LocalThunk, unexpectedly became a 2024 indie sensation, selling over 5 million copies. This achievement significantly impacted the gaming industry, earning accolades and awards at The Game Awards 2024. The game's success surprised both players and the developer himself.
LocalThunk initially predicted modest reviews, estimating a 6-7 point average given the game's unconventional design. However, a 91-point review from PC Gamer, followed by similarly positive critical reception, propelled Balatro to a 90-point average on Metacritic and OpenCritic. This outcome astonished LocalThunk, who admitted he would have personally rated his game no higher than 8 points.
Playstack, the publisher, contributed significantly to the game's success through proactive pre-release press engagement. Yet, word-of-mouth marketing proved the most impactful factor, driving sales 10 to 20 times beyond initial projections. The game's Steam launch saw 119,000 copies sold within the first 24 hours—an experience the developer described as surreal.
The overwhelming success of Balatro led LocalThunk to admit a lack of a universal recipe for other indie developers to replicate his achievement.
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