Publisher Balatro calls for investing in indie games without expectations of super-profits

Following the phenomenal success of Balatro, which surpassed 5 million copies sold, publisher Playstack has spoken out about the need for more affordable funding for indie developers without excessive profitability expectations.

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Patrick Johnson, Head of Discovery at Playstack, said during a discussion at the Game Developers Conference and Independent Game Festival Awards that indie developers need easier access to funding that is not based on the need to make huge profits. He stressed the importance of providing reasonable budgets for those who need them.

Balatro, developed by a developer under the pseudonym LocalThunk, became an unexpected hit, reaching 500,000 copies sold in the first 10 days after its release. This once again highlights the potential of indie games and the importance of supporting creative projects without putting too much pressure on financial returns.

Johnson also noted that marketing Balatro was a challenge, but the internal team couldn't stop playing it.

As a reminder, YouTube is reconsidering the age restrictions on Balatro videos after a mistaken block.

Source: Inverse