Localthunk became somewhat of a big name in the games industry in 2024 thanks to the release of Balatro; joining the ranks of Vampire Survivors dev Luca Galente in the category of ‘indie game developers whose games have ruined my life by being so moreish’. But as it turns out, fame and making a name for themselves in the game development scene wasn’t on the solo-devs mind when making Balatro.
Following the recent one-year anniversary of Balatro’s release, Localthunk released the Balatro timeline diary, chronicling their work on the game from its inception back in December 2021, to release in February 2024. This diary has a ton of interesting tidbits within, like how the developer was shocked at the game’s high review scores. However, that modesty is a common theme in the diary, as Localthunk’s ambitions with Balatro were nothing more than a playable job application.
