In today’s digital age, the choice to remain anonymous carries numerous advantages. Staying under the radar provides a sense of privacy, allowing individuals to navigate life more peacefully. For LocalThunk, the pseudonymous creator of Balatro, it even enabled a stealthy entrance into his own demo booth at GDC, akin to a mouse slipping into a pizzeria.
“One of my favorite moments from GDC,” LocalThunk shared in a series of posts on Bluesky. “They had a booth set up to showcase Balatro, as it was nominated for an award. I observed for a while before taking my turn.”
“I aced a white stake run,” LocalThunk added, referring to the challenging “white stake” difficulty level of the poker roguelike. Despite being the easiest mode, white stakes can still frustrate players, leading to humorous reactions from dedicated Balatro fans.
After his triumphant demo run at GDC, LocalThunk left with a confidence reminiscent of someone who had just sparked a tense international standoff. An onlooker approached him “as I was about to leave,” he recounted on BlueSky.
“‘Wow, you must have played this before!'” he remembers the individual saying.
“‘I guess you could say that,'” he responded modestly.
“This was actually the first and only time I’ve seen strangers play my game in person,” LocalThunk added. “I still haven’t come across Balatro out in the wild. So from my perspective, it feels like I’m being Truman Show-ed.” Given Balatro’s undeniable success since its 2024 launch, it’s more akin to a Batman scenario. Just look at the multitude of Jokers arriving.
Baldur’s Gate 3 director Swen Vincke declared indie poker roguelike Balatro his Game of the Year for 2024, surpassing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Astro Bot, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.