The breakout hit game Balatro truly captured the gaming world’s attention in 2024, representing a monumental turning point for its sole creator, LocalThunk. However, this development is managed entirely by one individual, and LocalThunk has announced that the previously mentioned 1.1 update for Balatro will not be ready before the year concludes.
LocalThunk detailed the factors contributing to this revised timeline in an extensive message posted on his official website, frankly summarizing the situation with the title “I’m Slow.” He conveyed his apologies to the dedicated player base regarding the delay and emphasized his commitment to avoiding the intense “crunch” conditions of 12-hour workdays that preceded Balatro’s initial release. He wants to approach the project with the passion of a personal hobby.
“I still find joy in crafting my quirky jokers,” LocalThunk expressed. “My notebook is now overflowing with fresh ideas to implement and explore within the game. Thankfully, I continue to regard this endeavor as a passion project. But I find the thought of rushing the work and falling back into a stressful crunch mode to complete the update this year simply unappealing. I’m proceeding at a slower pace, but I find this preferable. I relish diving deep into intricate details, and I dislike forcing creativity.”
LocalThunk also mentioned that he recently achieved 100% completion of all achievements within his own creation, reigniting his enthusiasm for embarking on that journey once again after the release of the 1.1 update. He reassured fans that the update is still in progress, but its launch will be scheduled only when it is completely polished and ready.
Balatro stood out as one of GameSpot’s top games of 2024, receiving nominations at prestigious awards ceremonies, including the 2025 DICE Awards, the New York Game Awards 2025, and The Game Awards 2024. The game then received the Game of the Year Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards.