Sponsored By

Balatro made $1 million within hours of release

Balatro is only a week old and has become the fastest-selling title of publisher Playstack's lifetime.

Justin Carter, Contributing Editor

February 27, 2024

1 Min Read
Screenshot from LocalThun's Balatro.
Image via LocalThunk/PlayStack.

Balatro, the hit roguelike deckbuilder, reportedly made $1 million in revenue eight hours after it came out.

Publisher Playstack broke the news to GamesIndustry, adding that the game became profitable an hour after release. Within three days of coming out, it'd sold 250,000 copies.

Suffice it to say, Balatro has exceeded the expectations of both its creator LocalThunk and Playstack. It currently stands as the fastest-selling game in the publisher's eight-year history.

"Seeing so many people share and enjoy this odd creation has been incredibly overwhelming," wrote LocalThunk. "I can't thank the Balatro fans and Playstack enough for making this possible."

Balatro offered a "rare privilege"

Citing the industry's tumultuous period, Playstack CEO Harvey Elliott noted the company has a "rare privilege" to recognize the game's near-instant profitability.

"I cannot praise LocalThunk and the publishing team at Playstack enough for achieving such an impressive milestone," he added. "We are floored by its success."

About the Author

Justin Carter

Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com

A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.

Daily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inbox

You May Also Like