Balatro 1.1 will include new jokers plus a revamp of a really confusing existing one
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In a new interview with Bloomberg, Balatro creator LocalThunk revealed some new details about the chaotic poker roguelike's major gameplay update coming later this year. Now titled update 1.1, publisher Playstack first revealed that more Balatro would be headed our way in 2025 back in August.
The famously secretive and anonymous LocalThunk was reluctant to reveal too much of what's coming in update 1.1. "I'm not going to get into exactly what's going to be in it, because that also means I can't pivot if something new doesn't work," he told Bloomberg. "I think it's healthier if I keep my cards close to my chest, then give you the best version of whatever this new content update is."
LocalThunk was still willing to spill some of the beans, though: In addition to adding new Jokers to the game, the update will see an overhaul to at least one pre-existing card, Matador. As it stands, Matador gives a cash boost whenever your hand triggers a boss blind ability, but the Balatro Wiki notes that it "doesn't work with all boss blinds, and can occasionally give results inconsistent with what one might expect." The other confirmed change is coming to the blue stake, a difficulty modifier that lowers your number of discards by one.
"I play a lot too, and notice flaws all the time," LocalThunk said, and it sounds like he's still considering whether he wants to keep tweaking the game after 1.1. "I don't have any imminent game ideas I want to make," he said. "I have thought of other game ideas in the past, but every time my mind goes down that road, I immediately think, 'You can't do that right now, you're in the middle of something else,' which I think has served me very well."
We certainly agreed, so much that Balatro clinched our overall game of the year award for 2024, beating out the likes of Shadow of the Erdtree, Helldivers 2, and Metaphor: ReFantazio.
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