From Hobby to Hit: The Incredible Journey of Balatro (and What Indie Devs Can Learn)

Balatro Official Launch Trailer

In February 2024, a small indie game called Balatro launched to overwhelming success. It racked up over 200,000 wishlists on Steam before release, sold 119,000 copies within the first 24 hours, and quickly cemented itself as a standout in the roguelike deckbuilder genre. For its solo developer, LocalThunk, the game’s rapid ascent was nothing short of surreal, but it didn’t come without immense pressure, self-doubt, and critical decision-making.

In a deeply personal blog post, LocalThunk laid out the full timeline of Balatro’s development journey, offering a rare and candid look at what it takes to build a hit indie game. His story is not only inspiring but also packed with lessons that any indie dev can learn from.

In this article, we'll unpack LocalThunk’s journey and extract practical insights that could help you navigate your own game development adventure.

1. Passion Is the Foundation

LocalThunk started Balatro in early 2022 as a passion project. Like many indie devs, he built the game during his spare time, treating it as a hobby while balancing a regular job. In fact, he initially set a six-month timeline for the game before planning to move on.

But the game’s addictive gameplay loop and unique roguelike deckbuilding mechanics kept pulling him back in. When small YouTubers began discovering Balatro, momentum started building and with it, LocalThunk’s realization that maybe Balatro had commercial potential.

The Lesson: While passion is crucial, successful games often demand a willingness to go beyond hobby-level commitment. Don’t be afraid to recognize when your project has legs and give yourself permission to chase it.

2. Be Ready for Your Game to Outgrow You

By mid-2023, Balatro started gaining serious traction. Big-name streamers like Dan Gheesling and Northernlion picked up the game, causing its wishlist count to skyrocket. This influx of attention was exhilarating, but also overwhelming.

As more players flooded the Discord, provided feedback, and built communities around the game, LocalThunk found himself struggling to keep up. In his blog, he describes the anxiety of being pulled in a million directions: managing a community, navigating publisher offers, negotiating contracts, and still trying to finish the game. Eventually, he decided to sign with a publisher (Playstack) to ease the pressure and handle some of the business logistics.

The Lesson: If your game blows up, it’s easy to get swept up in trying to do everything yourself. But know when to delegate, whether it's hiring a publisher, outsourcing porting, or simply bringing on someone to help with marketing. Protect your time and sanity.

3. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Streamers

One of the biggest turning points in Balatro's journey was when Northernlion played the game live on his stream. LocalThunk had been a longtime fan of Northernlion and was watching the stream as a fan, when Northernlion ran out of demo content, LocalThunk quickly DM’d him a beta key.

Some viewers criticized the decision, claiming it was unfair for one streamer to get special treatment. But in hindsight, this moment was pivotal in putting Balatro in front of a massive audience.

By the end of July 2023, Balatro had gone from a couple hundred wishlists to over 28,000 - a direct result of streamer influence.

The Lesson: Streamers can be a game-changing marketing tool. If someone influential shows interest in your game, don’t hesitate to reach out or provide access, it could catapult your game’s visibility.

4. Anxiety and Burnout Are Real

One of the most striking parts of LocalThunk’s story is his candid admission about the toll Balatro took on his health. As wishlist numbers climbed and launch day approached, his anxiety reached dangerous levels. He couldn’t sleep, his heart raced constantly, and he ultimately suffered a severe anxiety attack. The pressure to meet expectations, fix bugs, manage communities, and keep up momentum was crushing.

In hindsight, he admits that seeking professional help sooner, leaning on his publisher, and setting firmer boundaries could have helped protect his mental health.

The Lesson: Building a hit game can come at a personal cost — unless you actively safeguard your health. Set realistic expectations, take breaks, and don’t hesitate to seek professional help if the pressure becomes unmanageable.

5. Wishlists Are Not Sales, But They’re Everything

A recurring metric in LocalThunk’s blog is Balatro's growing wishlist count. Starting with just 183 wishlists in June 2023, the number exploded to over 208,000 by the game’s launch in February 2024.

Wishlists became a crucial barometer for future sales. Every time a major streamer picked up the game or a new demo went live, the wishlist count surged, signaling future demand.

On launch day, Balatro sold 119,000 copies in 24 hours, a staggering conversion rate from those wishlists.

The Lesson: If you’re an indie dev, prioritizing wishlists should be a major part of your marketing strategy. Push for wishlists through demos, events like Steam Next Fest, and influencer partnerships. The bigger your wishlist count, the stronger your launch will likely be.

6. The Launch Is Just the Beginning

What’s remarkable about Balatro’s success is that the real magic happened post-launch. Despite all the nerves and expectations, the game launched with minimal issues, and quickly found its player base.

The day of launch, Balatro generated over $600,000 in revenue on Steam alone. Media reviews were overwhelmingly positive, with PC Gamer giving it a 91 and Metacritic scores soaring above 90. LocalThunk had prepared himself for disaster, but instead, he found himself watching a dream come true.

His biggest takeaway? The work doesn’t end after launch. Continued updates, community engagement, and post-launch support are key to sustaining momentum.

The Lesson: Don’t view your game’s launch as the finish line. Plan your post-launch strategy carefully, engage with your community, and stay open to feedback.

Final Thoughts

Balatro's story is a dream scenario for many indie devs, but it also reveals the grueling behind-the-scenes work that goes into making a breakout hit. From wrestling with self-doubt to managing a rapidly-growing player base, LocalThunk’s journey is filled with hard lessons that any aspiring developer should take to heart.

If you want the full, unfiltered story of Balatro’s rise, we highly recommend reading LocalThunk’s original blog post. It’s a must-read for any indie developer hoping to turn their passion project into the next big hit.