Balatro, the popular poker-themed roguelike deck-builder video game, has been nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards. The Game Awards, known for its prestige in the video game industry, will be streamed live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on December 12.
Released on multiple platforms including Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and macOS, Balatro quickly gained attention and rave reviews for its addictive gameplay. Developed by LocalThunk and published by Playstack, the game has garnered nominations in five categories at The Game Awards: Game of the Year, Best Mobile Game, Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie, and Best Game Direction.
LocalThunk, the sole developer behind Balatro, expressed his excitement about the nominations on Twitter. The competition for Game of the Year includes other popular titles such as Astro Bot, Black Myth: Wukong, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Metaphor: Refantazio.
Balatro is tied for the third-most nominations this year alongside Silent Hill 2, while Astro Bot and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth lead with seven nominations each. Metaphor: Refantazio follows closely with six nominations.
The winners at The Game Awards are determined by a combination of a voting jury and fan vote, with fans contributing 10% to the final decision. Fans can vote for their favorite games on The Game Awards website.