For the last decade or so, there’s been at least one indie game every year that comes out of nowhere and becomes an absolute sensation for a little while.Balatrois that indie sensation this year. But rather than fizzle out after a few months,Balatro’s popularity has only continued to grow.
Released back in February for PC and consoles,Balatromanaged to sell over 1 million copies in just less than a month, becoming publisher PlayStack’s fastest-selling game. Those numbers have continued to build over the year, thanks in no small part toBalatro’s mobile ports that were released in September. As of December,Balatrohas surpassed 3.5 million copies, and it’s earned itself three prestigious Game Awards. ButBalatrostill has plenty of gas left in the tank, and if it keeps excelling in one specific area, it might end up rivalingFortnitevery soon.
Balatro Could Soon Rival Fortnite’s Collaborations
Balatro Has Released a Plethora of Crossovers In The Last Few Months
Back in August,Balatroannounced that a free DLC had been added to the game, bringing four new cosmetic sets to the deck-builder. Titled “Friends of Jimbo,” this free update’s cosmetics were all themed around different video game franchises, includingAmong Us,Dave the Diver,Vampire Survivors, andThe Witcher 3.
In October, a second Friends of Jimbo DLC was added toBalatro, again for no additional charge. This second round of crossovers added cards based onThe Binding of Isaac,Stardew Valley,Slay the Spire, andCyberpunk 2077. A third (and presumably final) Friends of Jimbo DLC was added earlier this month, coinciding withBalatro’s Game Awards victories.
This DLC was the biggest of the lot, adding twice as many crossover cards as the previous packs. These collaborations includeWarframe,1000xResist,Cult of the Lamb,Don’t Starve,Enter the Gungeon,Shovel Knight,Potion Craft, andDivinity: Original Sin 2.
Along with these crossover cosmetics inBalatro, a few collaborators have decided to addBalatrocontent into their own game.Dave the DiverandCyberpunk 2077, for instance, have added entire questlines based on 2024’s most prominent deck-builder.
Balatro’s Friends of Jimbo Packs Could Be Just The Beginning
In the span of just four months,Balatrohas gone from having no collaborations to having a total of 16, all of which run the gamut of the video game industry, from major AAA franchises likeCyberpunkandThe Witcher, to smaller indie titles like1000xResistandPotion Craft. It’s great to see such a wealth of representation inBalatro’s crossovers, and every crossover so far has proven just how versatileBalatro’s uniquely pixelated art style can be.
WhileBalatrocertainly doesn’t need to add any more crossovers to continue being successful, it likely wouldn’t hurt to keep going, with each collaboration drawing attention to both titles at once.Balatrocould even start to collaborate with other mediums, such as TV and movies, adding cards based on upcoming blockbusters likenew Marvel Cinematic Universe releases.
Balatrohas opened the crossover floodgates in style over these past few months, and if it keeps adding more at the same rate, then it could even end up givingFortnitea run for its money.
Balatro
WHERE TO PLAY
Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deck builder all about creating powerful synergies and winning big.The poker roguelike. Balatro is a hypnotically satisfying deckbuilder where you play illegal poker hands, discover game-changing jokers, and trigger adrenaline-pumping, outrageous combos.Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory
