- Balatro has amassed close to $1 million in revenue from both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store
- The game’s earnings are largely driven by the US, accounting for 60% of its total revenue
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Roguelike card game Balatro has achieved nearly $1 million in player spending within its initial seven days on both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store.
Since its release on September 26th, the indie title has shown consistent growth in daily revenue, reaching its peak on October 2nd as it inches closer to the seven-figure mark.
According to estimates by AppMagic, Balatro has generated approximately $937,500 across the two stores, defying the conventional free-to-play mobile model by requiring players to pay $9.99 upfront to access the full game without a trial.
Despite this unconventional approach, Balatro has become the top paid card game on Google Play and the number one strategy game on the Apple App Store.
Playing a strong hand
Balatro, a cross-platform game initially released on PC and consoles in February, made its way to mobile platforms in just over six months. LocalThunk revamped the controls for touchscreens, making the game more accessible to new and existing fans.
The objective of Balatro is to form powerful poker hands, create card combinations, uncover the Jokers, and defeat the Boss Blinds. Players earn currency for each victory, which can be used to acquire stronger cards for subsequent battles, creating a rewarding gameplay loop.
In a bold move, players can play illegal poker hands to enhance their combos, unlocking multipliers for higher scores in this roguelike experience.
The game has attracted card game enthusiasts, predominantly from the US, contributing over $550,000 in revenue within its first week on mobile, representing 60% of its total earnings to date. The UK ranks second with $60,000, making up 6% of Balatro Mobile’s revenue.
As a premium title, most downloads have originated from the US, followed by the UK and Canada.
On its launch day, Balatro generated over $140,000, followed by $160,000 on day two. Despite a slight decline on September 28th, the game bounced back the next day, almost hitting $200,000 in revenue.
October 2nd marked Balatro’s most profitable day yet, earning close to $208,000 as the player base continues to grow daily.
With each day of spending, the game attracts more players, aided by the debut of Balatro+ on Apple Arcade, further expanding its player base and revenue potential.
Based on the game’s rapid revenue growth on other platforms – achieving profitability within an hour of release according to GamesIndustry.biz – it is likely that LocalThunk will soon cross the $1 million mark on mobile platforms.
Despite lacking actual gambling elements, Balatro’s poker theme has stirred some controversy, adding to its buzz and appeal.
