By Sagar V. Mankar 
Balatro, a game combining poker mechanics with creative card combos and engaging challenges, has surpassed five million copies sold across all platforms, according to PocketGamer.biz. This impressive achievement was revealed by Harvey Elliott, CEO of publisher Playstack, during his session at Pocket Gamer Connects London titled Playing The Long Game – Lessons From Balatro For Maximising Success.
“Selling five million units of any game is an incredible milestone worthy of celebration,” Elliott remarked. “Achieving this in less than a year, especially for a game developed by a solo creator, is truly remarkable. I am incredibly proud of LocalThunk, the developer, and the entire Playstack team for their dedication and hard work in ensuring the game’s success.”
Initially launched on PC and consoles in February 2024, Balatro expanded to mobile platforms in September, earning $1 million in its first week and $4.4 million within two months, according to MobileGamer.biz
At The Game Awards in December 2024, it won several honors, including Mobile Game of the Year, Best Debut Indie Game, and Indie Game of the Year. This recognition contributed to a significant boost in its player base, particularly on Steam. Daily active players on Steam doubled in December, reaching 20,000, and by January, the numbers surged to a peak of 43,000, as per SteamDB. By late December, the game sales reached 3.5 million across the platform.
The game enjoys overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam, with 98% approval from over 119,000 reviewers.
The game’s success story extends to the inaugural Indie Game Awards, where it secured titles for Game of the Year and Best Gameplay Design. According to GOTY tracker Gamefa.com, Balatro won 28 Game of the Year awards in 2024, ranking third after Astro Bot (110) and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (38).
Sources: PocketGamer.biz