Whether you’ve already bought the game, or are just Balatro-curious, today is a good day for this Indie upstart.
Balatro is now available for free to those with anXbox Game Passsubscription, be they console or PC players. This comes alongside the Friends of Jimbo 4 pack, which features a ton of cameos fromAssassin’s CreedtoCritical Role.
This update, like the other three Friends of Jimbo updates, lets players change the suits and face cards of the deck. They’ll feature familiar faces from a bunch of franchises, the full list of which is below:
A trailer was also released to show off the good news, teasing the game pass reveal while showing off all the included collaborations.
This news comes as a shock to many - the term “shadow drop” has been thrown around a lot, and it seems to be an apt descriptor. This is a move that few saw coming, but nonetheless leaves everyone pleasantly surprised. If you were really needing a win in 2025, well, here’s one!
The game has always been very accessible; a low price tag means you’re gonna get a lot of people checking it out. But this already-low barrier to entry just got even lower, and will inevitably result in a surge of new fans.
Balatro Creator Expresses Mixed Feelings About The Game’s Success
Despite making millions of dollars, Balatro’s success has simultaneously brought mixed feelings and stress to the life of game creator LocalThunk.
Balatro has been a shining example of indie success in the gaming scene. Injust over a year, it’s gone from a small, niche project to becoming aGame of the Year contenderat The Game Awards.
Good Day To Be A Balatro Fan - It Just Won Its Ratings Appeal
And yet, somehow, the good news doesn’t end here for Balatro. Previously, the game was slammed with an 18+ rating by the PEGI ratings board, due to its gambling imagery.
Well, not exactly. The stated reason for the high rating was for actual gambling content - something that doesn’t really exist in Balatro. And accordingly, the game’s now been lowered to a PEGI 12.
Every Balatro Deck Ranked By Difficulty
In this roguelike, you have 15 different options to lose contact with the real world.
PEGI hasreleased a statementon the matter, detailing exactly why they made the change.
The Complaints Board concluded that, although the game explains the various hands of poker, the roguelike deck-building game contained mitigating fantastical elements that warranted a PEGI 12 rating.
This decision also comes as a relief to another gambling-adjacent game: Luck Be a Landlord, who also got their rating lowered for similar reasons.
Google Threatens To Ban Luck Be A Landlord, Again
Bad luck: google has decided to be stricter about gambling, against a game without gambling.
