Balatro publisher on localthunk’s decision to remain anonymous
Balatro has become a certified indie hit, with millions in sales, and nominations for Game of the Year 2024. With all that positive attention, you might think that the game’s creator would be excited to get his time in the limelight. However, developer localthunk continues to remain anonymous.
In a new interview with PC Gamer, a representative from Balatro’s publisher Playstack commented on localthunk’s reasons for keeping his name out of the conversation. According to communications director Wout van Halderen, there’s no big mystery behind it, he just enjoys his privacy.
“For LocalThunk himself, he’s already a person who doesn’t really like the spotlight, and now it’s a lot harder to deal with that kind of pressure. I think his choice to be anonymous from the beginning is helping him now in the long run.”
“I do think his anonymity became the story at some point, ‘cause people thought he was trying to pull a Banksy and be, like, this anonymous developer, but that’s not why he did it. He just wanted to be left alone to make his game and live his life.”
[Wout van Halderen, Playstack]
