Balatro had a rough go of it lately, with short-lived delistings from game marketplaces following a disagreement over the game’s gambling content. Publisher Playstack bounced back quickly, though, thanks to the game’s unique system and devoted player base. As of March 6, 2024, it has sold 500,000 units across consoles and PC following its February 20 release.
Playstack celebrated the achievement on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying, “Incredible news! Balatro has hit the 500,000 copies mark in just 10 days across all platforms!” The post continues, “Thank you for your amazing support — we’re beyond grateful!”
The recent delisting drama, which most fans agreed was unfair and misrepresented the game, threatened the card game‘s meteoric rise. Ultimately, Balatro’s strength was bolstered by a committed player base and the fact its mechanics don’t feature actual gambling. The troubling storm has cleared, and Balatro is back on track to be one of 2024’s most successful indie games.
Rated 10/10 on its Steam page, the game is described as a “hypnotically satisfying deck-builder where you play illegal poker hands, discover game-changing jokers, and trigger adrenaline-pumping, outrageous combos.”
A title like Balatro reaching half a million sales in only 10 days is a massive achievement that lends credence to the word-of-mouth effect that propels smaller games without AAA marketing budgets to greatness. And at a $14.99 price point on Steam, what’s not to love? We’re glad it has overcome the recent age-rating obstacle and is back on storefronts around the world for new players to enjoy.
For more like Balatro, check out our picks for the best roguelike games on PC or see what new PC games might be stealing the spotlight soon.
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