Balatro: The Surprising Truth About How to Pronounce Gaming’s Hottest Title

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Over the past year, Balatro has built a significant fan base, with gamers discovering numerous appealing aspects across its multiple platforms. Despite Balatro being a remarkable success story, there’s one question that lingers in the minds of many fans: how exactly is the game’s name pronounced? Game File’s Stephen Totilo had the chance to ask the publisher at this year’s Game Developers Conference. Naman Budhwar is the head of video marketing at Playstack, and he was able to provide an official answer: it’s pronounced BAH-luh-trow.

Budhwar explained that “Balathrow” is what LocalThunk calls it, but he’s fine with people pronouncing it however they prefer, much like the debate over whether it’s ‘gif’ or ‘jif’.

Regarding LocalThunk, developers often find him to be quite reserved. In contrast to the astounding popularity his game has enjoyed over the past year, he’s been relatively silent in public, preferring to engage with fans via the game’s website and social media platforms rather than participating in major interviews. The statement from Playstack seems to be the most authoritative one regarding his name, but LocalThunk appears to be accepting of different pronunciations. Ultimately, it doesn’t make much difference how you say it; he seems content either way.

Gamers have frequently encountered problems with pronouncing names in video games, as there are many unspoken names within titles and characters. This is especially true for indie games, but major franchises and adaptations have also been affected. For example, the 1994 “Street Fighter” movie mispronounced the character Ryu’s name. Over time, some pronunciations have changed, such as Pokemon Arceus. However, unlike made-up words, Balatro’s name originates from a real Latin word for a jester, so it is unlikely that LocalThunk will make any official adjustments in the future.

Since debuting in early 2024, the game known as Balatro has become a global phenomenon. Amidst a year filled with highly-praised games, Balato garnered several prestigious accolades, such as Game of the Year at The Game Developer Choice Awards this month. It’s now available on Xbox Game Pass, making it accessible to many players who may not have given it a try otherwise. This expansion is likely to spark curiosity about how to pronounce this game among many newcomers, but we now have the correct answer!

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2025-03-30 22:10