Balatro’s Global Rise Sparks LocalThunk’s Promotion of Competing Card Roguelike

The team behind Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers has shared insights about the challenges and advantages of launching their blackjack-focused roguelike shortly after the massive success of the poker-themed roguelike, Balatro.

Simon Byron, the publishing director at Yogscast Games, reminisced about the moment they secured the rights to Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers, believing it had potential. This occurred just before they discovered another roguelike that was gaining significant popularity simultaneously.

“I looked it up and said, ah f***, and that was when I see it’s being published by Playstack,” Byron recounted to GamesRadar+ regarding the unexpected viral success of Balatro.

“What would you prefer? Would you want that game to become a massive success? Or would you rather it not perform well? Which scenario would bolster your confidence more?” Byron reflected on his thoughts at that time. “I believe we gained from riding the wave of Balatro and PlayStack’s achievements, despite our game being on Steam prior.”

Launching on Steam a few months after Balatro could have been advantageous, but it also presented unique challenges, according to Byron. “While Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers is a casino-style roguelike, it differs significantly from Balatro in terms of gameplay and design. People might have initially expected something more akin to Balatro, which it isn’t. However, we are genuinely pleased with how our game has performed.”

The collaboration between the developers of Degenerate Gamblers, Purple Moss Collectors, and Balatro’s creator, LocalThunk, likely contributed to their success. LocalThunk urged the community to support and review Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers at its launch while it was also included in a bundle along with Balatro and Luck Be A Landlord. “That was fantastic,” Byron remarked. “In previous roles at other publishers, the environment was quite isolated, characterized by a competitive mentality. This isn’t how it should be.”