LocalThunk, a solo developer operating under the pseudonym, achieved a remarkable feat in 2024 with their game, Balatro. This indie title defied expectations, selling over 5 million copies and making waves in the gaming industry, culminating in multiple awards at The Game Awards 2024. The success was a complete surprise, even to the creator.
Initially, LocalThunk anticipated modest reviews, estimating a 6-7 out of 10 score given the game's unconventional concept. However, a glowing 91 from PC Gamer, followed by similarly positive reviews, propelled Balatro to a Metacritic and OpenCritic score of 90. This far exceeded LocalThunk's self-assessment of an 8 out of 10.
Playstack, the publisher, contributed significantly to the game's success through proactive press engagement prior to launch. Yet, the primary driver of sales was overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth marketing, resulting in sales exceeding projections by a factor of 10 to 20. The first 24 hours on Steam alone saw 119,000 copies sold—an experience the developer described as surreal.
The game's overwhelming success led LocalThunk to admit a lack of a universal formula for other indie developers to replicate this achievement.
