Indie Poker Roguelike Balatro Surpasses Steam Player Record After Banner Year

The award-winning game from solo developer LocalThunk hits a new peak of over 38,500 concurrent players, fueled by holiday sales, accolades, and viral buzz.

• Balatro, a poker-inspired roguelike, reached a new all-time peak of 38,506 concurrent players on Steam, 10 months after its February release.
• The game's resurgence is attributed to a December boost, including three wins at The Game Awards, holiday sales, and a viral video by YouTuber Markiplier.
• Balatro has earned critical acclaim, winning Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game, and Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2024.
• The game maintains an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' rating on Steam, with 98% of over 84,000 user reviews being positive, making it the highest-rated release of 2024 on the platform.
• Balatro's simple yet addictive gameplay, centered on building and manipulating poker decks, has resonated with players across PC, mobile, and console platforms.

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