Balatro Creator Ensures It Can Never Be Turned Into a Real Gambling Game

Balatro Creator Ensures It Can Never Be Turned Into a Real Gambling Game

As a long-time gaming enthusiast with a soft spot for indie titles that dare to innovate, I can confidently say that LocalThunk’s creation, Balatro, has truly captured my heart (and cards) this year. The game’s unique blend of roguelike mechanics and poker strategy has proven to be an irresistible combination, making it a standout in 2024.


After its debut earlier this year, Balatro has been one of the most unexpected success stories of 2024. This roguelike poker-themed deckbuilder quickly became a best-seller on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC platforms, and is soon expected to release on mobile devices as well. Some fans are also hoping for a physical edition of Balatro, which could potentially become available at some point. However, it’s highly unlikely that a gambling company will acquire the rights to Balatro for the purpose of advertising their casino or other forms of gambling. In fact, the creator of Balatro, LocalThunk, has gone as far as taking legal action to prevent this from happening.

In a recent tweet, LocalThunk unequivocally stated that Balatro will never endorse real-world betting. A Twitter user humorously suggested, “It’s a conspiracy: Balatro and its counterparts are actually covert operations designed to lure younger generations into casinos.” Although this is mostly a joke, LocalThunk strongly expressed his disapproval by specifying in his recent will that the Balatro intellectual property may never be sold or licensed to any gambling company or casino due to his strong opposition to it becoming a genuine gambling game.

From such a firm standpoint, the creator of Balatro isn’t likely to soften it. Given the game’s widespread popularity, it wouldn’t be unusual to learn that gambling companies are offering LocalThunk a considerable amount of money to license the game. However, the developer has no intention of shifting his business model towards that direction. In fact, he’s so against it that he doesn’t want these companies to think they might one day acquire the property upon his death. This is intriguing when you recall that Balatro was pulled from various digital storefronts soon after its release due to gambling-related concerns. This led to an increase in Balatro’s age rating to reinstate it on the marketplaces.

In retrospect, that action appeared somewhat excessive to me, and swiftly, LocalThunk voiced his disapproval towards any form of gambling associated with Balatro. It’s evident from his latest statement that LocalThunk is dedicated to preserving the authentic, enjoyable nature of Balatro for all its players.

As a dedicated gamer with years of experience across various platforms, I can confidently say that the upcoming game “Balatro” is generating quite a buzz among gaming enthusiasts like myself. Having played numerous games across different genres, I appreciate the anticipation that surrounds the release of a new title, especially one that promises to deliver an immersive gaming experience. The fact that it’s now available on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC platforms only adds to my excitement.

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2024-08-06 23:11