How Balatro Was Made and Why The Creator Expected to Sell Only 6 Copies

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Thanks to Factor75 for sponsoring today's video. Use my link to get 50% off and free shipping on your first Factor box! strms.net/factor75_thatguyglen

[@LihimSidhe]

The fact that Glen seamelessy integrated footage from The Game Awards that happened LAST NIGHT shows you how serious he takes his craft. I'm hitting the like button on this video SO HARD....

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Played this one pretty close to the chest! I was lucky in predicting it would win every award it was nominated for except GOTY (although I think it deserves it) so I didn’t have to edit the script at least :P

[@tag5t151]

i was thinking the same thing!

[@Z-101-G]

Facts

[@belzimbub]

​@@ThatGuyGlen you could say you GAMBLED with that edit? 🤡

[@missitheachievementhuntres560]

Funny story the dev posted recently on twitter. At first he had not so many jokers. But the publisher in a called said the wrong number of jokers.. and instead of correcting them, he started drawing and working to reach the number the publisher said in that call.

[@idomvrap]

It was 120 before the call and the publisher said 150 jokers

[@catissa9966]

it's funny to see this game was removed from stores for "gambling", but here in brazil, sporting bet basically took the entire country, once prohibited, it's basically legal, with ads on the internet and on open TV, anyway amazing video as always! keep it up.

[@meisterl0]

It reached 3.5 mil copies sold like 3 days ago, imagine if this weren't banned in counties like South Korea and more.

[@ThatGuyGlen]

It’s a strange situation and the ratings board seems to almost make arbitrary decisions as they initially agreed to give it a +3 rating, only to change it a few months later. And thank you, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@vendruscolo74]

LocalThunk seems like a super nice guy. Balatro is so much fun, go play it! It may look like its boring but its super addictive

[@Rejinx]

Ok, LocalThunk, sure. ;)

[@MasIndie]

This is extremely well made! The game awards were yesterday and you still managers to feature footage and edit it in time! This video is awesome!

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Thank you very much! I’m glad I was able to post it today, took a lot of work!

[@MasIndie]

@@ThatGuyGlen your welcome :)

[@Jade-tr4ee]

Localthunk is so chill its inspiring

[@crash7800]

The absolute best part of Balatro is that it is not self aware. The joker is not some kind of fiendish villain. There's not some weird "lol it's all a game" twist. It's just fun.

[@exotic1405]

Gamers when they play a regular game

[@anusaukko6792]

@@exotic1405 I mean, meta-narratives in gaming started getting popular somewhere around the 2010s and have remained absurdly popular to this very day. Inscryption was one of the greatest games to come out in 2021, and it had no fourth wall to speak of lol. I understand why people would get desensitized to ''the game isn't actually JUST a game'' after all the stuff we've had, to the point that the opposite being true is a surprise.

[@exotic1405]

@anusaukko6792 I'm just jestin I get it

[@Spiderrtank]

My villains in balatro are either the Plant or the Wheel of Fortune

[@keryreece1788]

@@SpiderrtankEverytime I see “Nope” 🤬

[@Senorgato029]

No expectations, no adapting to the market, just a guy making something that seemed cool. This is why we love indie titles, the passion behind just making something has resulted in some of the greatest games of all time

[@ethanbuttazzi2602]

its the greatest thing a indie developer is able to do, just make something they like, and released it into the wild.

[@originalsharkygames5504]

I really liked the tarot's mechanic. I was never even slightly interested in tarots before playing Balatro, but after doing research on the major arcana, i was surprised to find out that the usage of tarots can be useful for a project i'm working on. Balatro was the game that made me basically unproductive for a while, but in the end it inspired me deeply.

[@anusaukko6792]

I never have been and never will be all too interested in tarots, but I still adore whenever media make use of them to great effect, especially for example expanding upon characters by making them specific arcana. You can greatly elaborate on already established people without writing a single bit of storytelling, like characters in Persona being archetypes, or just release something like official character tarot card merch, kinda like Re:Zero did. (Although that's a bit unfair since R:Z is already a masterclass in symbolism and character writing)

[@Lucymara48]

​@anusaukko6792 based rezero reader

[@pixelpenguin4455]

@anusaukko6792 My favorite use of tarots as such, or at least adjacent, was the trumps in Zelazny's Amber.

[@enutrofdude]

Hey, thanks for the video. I've been gaming for about 45 years. Balatro is an absolute gem on par with the classics such as Pac-Man, Tetris, and Minecraft. It's great to know that the money I've spent (purchased the game on 3 different platforms) is going to a fellow who seems very level-headed, creative, humble, and dedicated to his craft. I wish Mr. LocalThunk all the best in dealing with the unexpected avalanche of attention his game has been getting. As a quiet person who loves to be self-absorbed in my own hobbies, I offer a rare combination of congratulations and sympathy.

[@walkingthelastmile]

Nicely put. Agree it is classic on par with the best of the best.

[@ThatGuyGlen]

What indie game would you like to see me cover next? Leave a suggestion in the comments below! Also, if you enjoyed the video, please consider subscribing to stay up to date on future “Game Dev Docs” episodes. Leaving a like and sharing the video also helps out! Support me on Patreon and get exclusive content like ad-free content, access to my Discord server and more: www.patreon.com/ThatGuyGlen

[@ramoncf7]

Lethal Company?

[@superlol178]

Crypt of the Necrodancer could be a fun one...Not many indies collab with Nintendo

[@pyaehtetaung]

Path of achra.

[@KittycatKye]

Cruelty Squad could be an interesting game to cover.

[@MetalCrotch]

Fear and Hunger!

[@NoMaamNo]

This game is incredible and the composer of the music getting paid for it is wild.

[@d00ro779oi]

Getting paid for something you were commissioned to make is wild???

[@Adelie_in_Grey]

@d00ro779oi I think what they mean "The composer getting paid for sales of the soundtrack is while" Usually for commission/contract work like this, you get paid for the job and then the relationship ends. Localthunk basically paying royalties through sales of the soundtrack is going above and beyond.

[@omiadera]

​@d00ro779oi probably what they meant is that its wild that the composer earns 100% of the sold ost, instead of being ripped off completely like triple a companies do

[@zukukato5100]

he means the ost you can buy on steam, usually they are made for people to support the dev but in this case 100% goes to the artist

[@sc3ku]

Just bought last night after seeing a friend play it. Ohhh noo what have I gotten myself into for the next few obsessive weeks or months

[@ThatGuyGlen]

I’m in the same boat!

[@WonderSealYT]

Hey Glen? I really recommend making a video on ULTRAKILL once it fully releases. I’d like to know more on the history of it and how Hakita did stuff.

[@OctoAmbush-nc4xt]

so real

[@ThatGuyGlen]

I’m keeping my eye on it ;)

[@Evilgrapez]

Thank you for your awesome hard work on these as always. It's always nice to see an indie game get this much celebration.

[@ThatGuyGlen]

My pleasure, I have a ton of fun making them!

[@Kev.NTheLich]

Awsome video, Balatro def deserves all the appreciation its getting

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Thanks, glad to hear you liked it!

[@titansaint]

balatro is like a little pocket dimension for me to chill in. i have it on my phone so if i'm dealing with a flare of awful medical issues i can just curl up in bed and play a few runs while i wait for meds to work or things to calm down enough for me to get back to life. its not infuriating for me when i lose a run. i just go 'oh okay i should do this or that' and move on. the music is right up my alley too for when i need to rest. its just so good.

[@WindowsNT_]

Hello again I am impressed that you were able to integrate the game awards results from yesterday into your video Anyway hope your week is going well

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Hi there! It was interesting making a video that’s more topical than usual, I usually don’t get that chance since it takes me so long to make a video. The Game Awards were just right around the corner when I started making it so I took the opportunity. And thanks! Hope your week is going well too.

[@heavysystemsinc.]

All business is luck. Sustainability is the skill of a business. Once

[@chan4est]

Was waiting for this video! Perfect timing!

[@mb_kieran]

BABE WAKE UP THE KING JUST UPLOADED

[@kxlsin]

You have no idea how excited I am for this video. I think its safe to say you are my favorite video essay youtuber. I love the way you base your themes around the game itself and the fact that you made one about one of my favorite games this year is just so awesome. I have actually rewatched some of your videos before which is something I very rarely do

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Thank you very much for the kind words! It’s still unbelievable to read comments like yours. For years I looked up to KZbinrs (and still do), but I never thought I could one day make videos that other people would enjoy just as much.

[@kxlsin]

Of course you do these. You do these indie developers solid justice from going over the roots of their projects to thoroughly describing the development processes in a way that keeps it engaging. I cannot fathom just how much time you put into researching and making these videos, but I can assure you that your hard work more than paid off. :)

[@Smabverse]

As a dude who is already planning on making his hopefully-GOTY-worthy dream game completely solo, the dude who made Balatro showed me that it is not impossible to do (as well as the dude who made Chained Echoes, even though he didn't make it to the nominees, which doesn't matter) 💪 Also props to u for making this amazing video - so soon after the GOTY2024 show hahahah

[@MrSomeDonkus]

The greatest artists make up their own ideas. Successful artists steal. Every now and then one of those great artists still becomes successful despite the odds.

[@mr_0n10n5]

Bro turned the steam deck into a card gaming device on a whim 😂 Legendary

[@HadusMC]

Finally. The Balatro video, thank you Glen!

[@ThatGuyGlen]

My pleasure!

[@jameswelch2850]

While all of your videos are the highest of quality, this is absolutely brilliant. You're a fine documentary make and I hope you never stop.

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Thank you very much! I’m really happy how this one turned out. And I’m not stopping anytime soon, I’m having too much fun making these!

[@MatteoTravels]

I don't understand. He made no efforts in marketing, and some streamers at some point played it live... But how did he make 1 million dollars in sales in the first 3 days then???

[@raymaikeru]

+ for the algorithm. This story must be told, as it feels really inspiring since Lethal Company. The story of how one guy made a game that he made just for fun and to only play with friends and family, suddenly becoming this year's greatest deck-building indie phenomenon.

[@TheTNTerminator]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="840">14:00</a> The console ports were released the same day as the PC release. The mobile version was the only port to release months later

[@UserdVidas]

I played it recently (like a week ago) and am having a pretty addictive and fun playing experience.

[@luigiboyinblu]

Imagine being hired by a random guy on fiverr to make a soundtrack for his game, making a couple of songs for it and a year later it’s played by an orchestra at The Game Awards medley alongside music of Black Myth Wukong, Metaphor ReFantazio and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. This is indeed a surreal timeline.

[@duhsbo]

Game is very polished.

[@zukukato5100]

balatro is just so well made that i can't find issues with it.

[@Brownyan]

imagine seeing a full orchestra play your game's theme that you thought wouldn't sell at all

[@homegrownstudios5812]

love your videos man! always so inspiring and makes my day better whenever i see a new one in my feed, thanks for them B)

[@mimisaiko]

LocalThunk found he could pay the composer more when he earned more, while another game dev mentioned in the video did the opposite

[@nekokna]

im glad he found fun and succes,they seems like a good person. i am also happy for the composer

[@andrewv5338]

None of this story is surprising. Balatro is very obviously made with so much passion and love.

[@Dracossaint]

Great timing and topical

[@uplikeicarus]

this should've won game of the year IN MY OPINION

[@635574]

Its suprising how few games have demo on GFN. BALTRO and Halls of Torment have steam demos but neither is available on GFN despite the full game. Wonder if nvidia even asked these devs if they want it or not.

[@gabr3371]

Amazing video, thanks

[@ThatGuyGlen]

My pleasure, glad you liked it!

[@bradleycalkins394]

I've noticed a lot indie hits were expected to flop, like the Binding of Isaac or Slay the Spire

[@waiyanphyoe7545]

Been waiting for this video.

[@LotoTheHero]

Thank you for introducing me to my new addiction. 😆

[@ChimeraGames_Je]

This is what I've been waiting for let's goooo🔥

[@krakesh5915]

Releasing this game for mobile is the best decision Its so comfortable and addictive

[@sundhaug92]

I mean, that's 1 more than IBM expected to sell of their 701 scientific computer (from which one gets the misunderstood saying that they only expected to sell 5 comptuers)

[@theShadeslayer]

great video!!

[@paijwa]

Nah there ain't no way in hell the guy released something this polished and expected to sell less than horror game slop that releases every day

[@ChuckHendriZ]

the strategy game about global competition looks very fun. I like to play it

[@domeen0gt895]

Will you be doing buckshott roulette next?

[@bobbykbobette7426]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="13">0:13</a> two million ?

[@ExitusGSZ]

I'm torn on this game. It's obviously competently made and has a razorsharp vision. On all accounts, it's not surprise it received several awards yesterday. Having played it quite a bit though, I couldn't shake the feeling that all this game does is feed into a Casino-like frenzy of fueling a never-ending dopamine and endorphine cycle. The initial age ratings were onto something. Sure, you can't harm yourself and there's no way to gamble your savings away, but the emptiness I felt after several hours of gameplay must be similar to what actual gamblers feel. It's soul-sucking. I realized this fact especially once I've played several runs with the checkered deck, which removes most of the random factors involved in actual card play and lets you see what huge roles other RNG mechanics like shop luck and booster pack openings play. I very rarely feel like wasting my time when playing games, but Balatro is one of the only games I've played in 30 years which I regret playing. It's addicting and not in a good sense.

[@babybolt]

bro discovered rogue-likes

[@randomperson-pf6iy]

@@babybolt this conveys everything wrong with this comment

[@starblinky4091]

Glen is the man

[@TonyTheTGR]

This is basically the Tetris of the 21st Century... but with less of that Cold War problem.

[@tatecheddar]

Yet another Notch. When people find themselves in a situation where they wouldn't think they'd ever been in, they don't want to be there. I get it. Take it for what it is. Let him enjoy it and leave him alone.

[@superlol178]

Great video!

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Thank you, glad you liked it!

[@IShadyl]

you're the boss Glen, big fan

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Appreciate it!

[@MetalGearSaint]

THIS GAME IS SO FUN

[@meisterl0]

Won 3 awards in TGA made by a single guy meant for his pals, what a feat!

[@Shy_002]

And it was robbed of 2 more awards

[@Lucymara48]

FACTOR 🔥🔥 MY GOATT AD

[@JohnLucPicard98]

Do vampire survivors next!

[@gandhithatha9]

When I first Played the game I just wanted to try it but I played for 10 hrs straight

[@NihongoWakannai]

The fact that it still receives criticism for being a "gambling game" and even had rating boards trying to restrict it goes to show the stupidity of people. People often justify gacha games as "not being real gambling" and allow children to play them despite having actual real money MTX gambling in them. Yet a game which has no gambling in it at all with either real or fake money but simply has the aesthetic of card games and the same hands as poker gets considered a "gambling game". What's next, is peggle also a gambling game because it copies japanese pachinko gambling machines? People also say "well it has RNG mechanics so that's gambling!" when the entire genre of roguelikes is RNG. Is D&D gambling? is MtG gambling? It's so stupid. People literally just see playing cards and think "that must be gambling!" and refuse all evidence to the contrary.

[@mrdmach6679]

Balatro’s story of creation is VERY similar to how DanDaDan was created

[@geo4854]

I LOVE BALATRO

[@umizoomi0097]

You should do one on Project Zomboid😊

[@skippyzk]

How the hell was this video made? How do you deal out cards that spell words?

[@tomo8940]

I still don't get how this game got nominated. It's an indie card game.

[@Realmohg]

Its just a good game

[@_JEANIUS]

Let's go! 😊🎉

[@DissonantSynth]

Commenting for the algorithm

[@Benja64YT]

YIPPIEEEEEEEE

[@joeykeilholz925]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="244">4:04</a>

[@Z-101-G]

Fire

[@progaming5555]

hi

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Hello

[@ChristianJulesCruto-bp6fe]

Vampire survivor next

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Probably not the next one, but it’s definitely on my list ;)

[@ScyrousFX]

What happened to the commentary at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1005">16:45</a>-<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1016">16:56</a>? It's like you moved away from the mic or messed with the bass and treble.

[@ANoobInvoid]

I HATE THE GAME FOR MAKING ME ADDICTED TO IT AAHHH

[@greenyxd7298]

i have seen localthunks face at the awards show

[@trex9245]

WE NEED BLASPHEMOUS

[@JulianWuzHear]

Damn it. I literally just finished eating after a found this video >:(

[@ThatGuyGlen]

Sucks, I know that feeling!

[@eppiox]

Fs sake, the rotating view and background combo is total ass

[@brandoneickhoff5370]

Cover Lethal Company.

[@technoboop1890]

Kind of clickbaity with the title

[@ThatGuyGlen]

How is it clickbait?

[@cheesymcnuggets]

@@ThatGuyGlen nah i agree to be honest. It's the "Why The Creator Expected to Sell Only 6 Copies", i clicked on the video because that part of the title annoyed me but then got distracted by the video being interesting and forgot why i came lmao. I am a massive Balatro fan and also a solo game developer so I guess that was to be expected haha

[@sub0rLai]

It's not clickbait. He explained why it only was expected to sell 6 copies. He made it for his friends, didn't advertise it or pay anyone. Clickbait would be a thumbnail or title showing/mentioning something _not_ covered in the video. But it's all covered. If anything it's just an engaging KZbin title.

[@alessio03]

Commenting for the algorithm