Do you likeThe Witcher 3? Great news, you’ll loveBalatro! I jest of course, CD Projekt Red’s fantasy RPG has little in common with the indie poker-style roguelike that hit our screens earlier this year. Unless…
You may make some parallels between The Witcher’s popular card gameGwentand surprise hit Balatro, but it basically boils down to the fact that they’re both card games. Other than the fact that both use cards, there are no similarities in terms of gameplay, art style, or win conditions. Until now.
Balatro has announced four crossovers in amajor free update, one of which is The Witcher 3. This is probably the marquee addition to the game, being a household name and triple-A classic. However, Vampire Survivors, Dave the Diver, and (especially) Among Us, also joined the game in the shadowdropped update, and all have cult followings in their own right.
The Successful Indie Roadmap
I’ve noticed a trend in successful indie games. Eager to cash in on any success, indie games have been leaning on crossover DLC to prolong their lifespans and sell a few more copies to fans of their genres who may have missed them the first time around.
I first became aware of the trend with Dredge and Dave the Diver, which crossed over with each other in a way thatseemed custom made to suit my tastes. Dave the Diver followed up withGodzilla DLCwhich, again, was so me it hurts. I wonder if developer Mintrocket has access to my hard drive?
Soon after, Vampire Survivors released a Contra crossover and now Balatro has announced four crossovers. There’s probably more I’ve missed, too – I’m certain Cult of the Lamb has crossed over with something alongside public flirtations with Angry Birds.
These are all hit indie games trying to squeeze out some more cash from their audiences, trying to invite over a trickle of players from whichever game they’re partnering with. And who can blame them? The industry is in turmoil right now, so indie developers with hits on their hands deserve to eke out every penny of profit they can make.
Balatro Is The Best Game Of The Year (So Far)
I’ve played a lot of games this year. More than I can count. Balatro is the best one. You can already see its effect on the industry by looking at theBalatro-likesthat have already started appearing. I’ve played so much Balatro that I see hearts and diamonds when I close my eyes like a cartoon character in a heist. It’s a game that made mereassess my relationship with my Steam Deck. It’s brilliant.
I hope that Balatro’s quadruple-whammy crossover will bring more new players to its moreish poker hands and engaging gameplay loops. I hope that a million Witcher players see that beautiful pixel art Geralt and spend 13 quid on this weird poker game. You’re not getting another Witcher game for half a decade, so this is the next best thing, right?
I’m glad that Balatro is branching out into crossovers, and I hope that it works out for developer LocalThunk. I can’t wait to see what LocalThunk does next, but for the time being I’m more than sated by the idea of some funky crossovers with gorgeous art, fresh mechanics, and new jokers to unlock. If you haven’t played Balatro yet, don’t miss out. It’s not too late. Get your Balatro on and play the best game of the year so far.
