Balatro is also a success on mobile and that’s very good news

At Frandroid, we like to talk to you about Balatro which has addicted several members of the editorial staff. This roguelike game mixes deckbuilding mechanics with those of poker for a result that goes far beyond a simple “card game”.

After a surprise success following its release on PC and consoles at the beginning of 2024, the game was released on mobile last September. And the numbers are very encouraging for the future of the game, for several reasons.

Mobile success without microtransactions

According to figures relayed by PocketGamerBalatro generated $4.4 million in revenue in 2 months of existence. While this may not seem like much compared to some other mobile behemoths, it should be remembered that the game is developed by a single person, LocalThunk, and published by Playstack.

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Manage my choices

In addition, it is important to put the game’s economic model into perspective: Balatro will only cost you 9.99 euros on mobile, without the slightest trace of microtransactions on the horizon. The developer had in fact declared on Reddit, his game will not contain any and will not display any advertising.

This can certainly generate a certain shortfall, but it is a refreshing choice for a game whose addictive mechanics are not linked to its monetization.

In addition, the game was recently nominated in four categories, including Best Game, at the Game Awards 2024 which will be held on December 12. The news benefited the success of the mobile game, which had its biggest week since its launch.

A big update in 2025

Recently, Balatro benefited from aesthetic updates with the arrival of new cosmetic cards featuring The Witcher 3, Stardew Valley, Slay the Spire and Dave the Diver.

But it is in 2025 that we can expect a major update for the game which will bring “new ideas and strategies to the game” according to LocalThunk. This will also be free to thank the community for its investment in the game.

So it seems you haven’t heard the last of Balatro.

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