Xbox Game Pass Adds New Cozy Game With ‘Very Positive’ Reviews

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Summary

  • LocalThunk, the creator of Balatro, remains anonymous due to a simple desire for privacy.
  • According to the game‘s publisher, LocalThunk ‘wanted to be left alone to make his game and live his life.’
  • Balatro continues to be a huge success, with the poker roguelike recently winning Game of the Year at the Game Developers Choice Awards.

The publisher of the game Balatro, PlayStack, has recently disclosed in an interview that the game’s creator, LocalThunk, has chosen to remain anonymous even with the game’s impressive success due to a preference for solitude. In 2024, Balatro is one of the most successful games launched, yet despite gamers’ persistent curiosity about LocalThunk’s true identity, it appears that the developer will not unmask themselves anytime in the near future.

Launched a year ago, the game titled “Balatro” gained immense popularity. At The Game Awards 2024, it was nominated for Game of the Year but ended up losing to “Astro Bot”. However, it shone brightly at the event, winning awards such as Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game. The poker-themed roguelike has experienced significant financial success, with “Balatro” selling more than 3,500,000 units by December 2024.

In a chat with PC Gamer, Playstack’s communications director, Wout van Halderen, disclosed the explanation behind LocalThunk’s decision not to reveal their identity to fans. Van Halderen stated that LocalThunk preferred to stay out of the limelight. Although some people speculated that he was emulating Banksy by maintaining anonymity as a creative figure, in reality, LocalThunk simply desired privacy so he could develop his game and lead his personal life undisturbed. Given the frequent harassment developers encounter, it’s probable that this decision provided LocalThunk with a more peaceful existence.

Balatro Dev LocalThunk Just Wants to Be Left Alone Out of the Spotlight

Although he keeps his true self hidden, LocalThunk frequently expresses opinions about Balatro. For instance, LocalThunk recently disclosed that he never anticipated Balatro would become a success. Originally, the game was intended to be a minor project for amusement among a small group of friends, but it managed to generate over half a million dollars in its early stages, eventually gaining widespread acclaim and recognition as one of the top games of the year.

Last December, LocalThunk playfully hinted that Balatro might win many awards. Indeed, it did! At The Game Awards 2024, it was just one of its accolades. It also won Best Indie Game at the Golden Joystick Awards, Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game at the 28th D.I.C.E. Awards, and most recently, it was named Game of the Year at the Game Developers Choice Awards.

As a dedicated fan of Balatro, I couldn’t be more thrilled to hear about the upcoming release of its own custom playing card deck! Pre-orders are now live for this exciting merchandise, priced at $16. The deck features the standard 52 cards, along with four unique Jokers embodying Balatro’s iconic characters: Joker, Juggler, Blueprint, and Gros Michel. In addition to this, Balatro has teamed up with various other games in the past, offering card skins inspired by Cult of the Lamb, Shovel Knight, Critical Role, Fallout, Assassin’s Creed, Slay the Princess, and more!

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2025-03-21 19:12