Balatro made quite the splash at The Game Awards 2024, clinching three prestigious awards, including Best Mobile Game and Best Independent Game. After collecting these accolades, the game’s developer, LocalThunk, humorously tweeted about needing a more robust trophy shelf. Fans can also look forward to more updates for this engaging poker roguelike in 2025.
LocalThunk, the creative genius behind the popular poker-themed card game Balatro, lightheartedly remarked on Twitter about the necessity for a stronger trophy shelf after the game bagged multiple awards. The awards ceremony took place on December 12th, marking the 10th anniversary of The Game Awards, and showcased a variety of remarkable games released this past year, with Balatro being a notable highlight. Significant announcements were also made during the event, including CD Projekt Red’s unveiling of The Witcher 4, a surprise 2025 release window for Xbox’s The Outer Worlds 2, and a cinematic trailer for Naughty Dog’s new 80s sci-fi-inspired creation, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Released in early 2024, Balatro captured the gaming industry’s attention with its addictive gameplay. The combination of a mobile release, regular updates, and crossovers with well-loved titles like The Witcher 3, Among Us, Vampire Survivors, and even appearing in a Cyberpunk 2077 side quest, kept Balatro resonating within gaming circles throughout the year. This success led it to become an unexpected contender for Game of the Year at The Game Awards, standing alongside juggernauts like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, and Black Myth: Wukong.
Among the nominees at Geoff Keighley’s 10th annual Game Awards, Balatro managed to snag three wins out of five nominations. While it fell short of winning Game of the Year, which went to Sony’s Astro Bot, Balatro triumphed in the categories of Best Mobile Game, Debut Indie Game, and Best Independent Game. LocalThunk celebrated the achievement by jokingly pointing out the need for a new shelf to showcase their newly acquired Game Awards trophies.
Although the 2024 Game Awards have come to a close, the gaming award season is far from over. Balatro still has opportunities to secure top honors at upcoming events like the DICE Awards and the Game Developers Choice Awards. Some major gaming publications have also yet to declare their 2024 Game of the Year, presenting further chances for Balatro to earn additional recognition. Regardless of whether it takes home any more awards, Balatro stands poised to collect numerous wins from these ongoing awards ceremonies in the coming weeks and months.
Looking forward to 2025, LocalThunk remains committed to delivering exciting updates and collaborations for Balatro. This year’s recent “Friends of Jimbo” collaboration pack introduced themed card sets inspired by games such as Cult of the Lamb, Warframe, Shovel Knight, and more. Speculation abounds as to what LocalThunk has planned next for Balatro, but one thing is certain—the community is excitedly awaiting what’s in store for the coming year.
