Balatro creator says the business aspect of making his hit roguelike is something he's still 'learning the ropes' of

Indie poker roguelite Balatro, created by LocalThunk as a hobby project, unexpectedly won two Golden Joysticks and is nominated for Game of the Year, becoming a top Steam Deck title despite its creator still learning the industry ropes.

Indie sensation Balatro, the poker roguelite, has won two Golden Joysticks and is up for Game of the Year at The Game Awards, but its creator LocalThunk says he's still "learning the ropes" of the industry.

I reached out after his Golden Joysticks wins to ask some questions, and he told me "Before the game went public there were very few issues. It was just a hobby and was a really rewarding way to unwind after a day of work." We already know he started the game when he had a few weeks of vacation, and he's also said before he never expected anyone other than his friends to play it.

"Originally I started making the game as a hobby project, just like all my other games before," he explains. I asked, and unfortunately those other games aren't available anywhere.

"After the store page went live, it became much more stressful to deal with," LocalThunk says. "Much of the PR and business side does not come naturally to me so I think the hardest part was trying to pick these things up on the fly. I still feel like I’m learning the ropes even now."

It's safe to say he's doing a good job, as the game is selling well everywhere, it's the fourth most-played game on Steam Deck. "This game is the culmination of a deeply personal process with a tiny target audience and the reception almost seems arbitrary to me, like how could my weird little game earn these honors," he asks.

LocalThunk "worked on the game for about 18 months before taking the store page public, and in total just over 2 years from start to release," but he has no plans to stop now. "I plan to work on Balatro for the time being, but I am keeping a list of other game ideas for the future," he tells me.

With the success of Balatro, he'll likely be able to work on whatever he wants next. It will be interesting to see if he remains a solo developer or if he decides to open his own studio. Since he says he's still figuring out the business side of things, my guess would be he'll stay a lone wolf, but only time will tell. Whatever he makes next, I'm excited to see it.

In between rounds of Balatro, you should check out some of the best upcoming indie games to keep your eyes peeled for.