Balatro developer LocalThunk turned up on the Balatro Discord yesterday to talk about the 1.1 update, and he brought good news and bad news in equal measure. The good news: he’s having the best time making the game. The bad news: the update still doesn’t have a release date.
LocalThunk delayed the 1.1 update into 2026, and a year later it’s still not out. That’s the context for his Discord drop-in, where he posted a message reassuring fans that everything is going fine. He’s been posting updates about the 1.1 update’s progress himself, and he said he’s happy those leaks are going over well.
The 1.1 Delay
The 1.1 update was originally set for 2025. LocalThunk went too hard for too long on Balatro’s development and became “well and truly burned out.” He took an extended break, then eased back into the work “very slowly,” approaching it more like a hobby developer.
He let deadlines slide and refrained from pressing creative choices. He later said he regretted declaring the then-2025 release target, a sentiment he repeated in his new message.
Burnout and the Break
“I understand how frustrating that must be and I wish I could go back in time and slap some sense into myself,” LocalThunk continued. “At the time it was still go-go-go and I never even considered that I could allow myself to stop, then after mobile came out I was just so burnt out I couldn’t touch the game for a bit. Luckily things have changed.”
The Leak Strategy
LocalThunk said he’ll continue turning up in the Balatro Discord now and then to reassure people that the 1.1 update is still in development. He’ll post more “leaks,” but there won’t be any commitment to a release target until it’s ready to go.
He also made clear that despite knowing people may be frustrated by the long wait, he’s not going to speed things up. He wants the update to be ready, not rushed. “I don’t want this to be half baked and wreck Balatro, I love the game too and I want to play a fun game not a rushed botch job.”
What’s Actually Coming
The Reddit thread gathers the main points from LocalThunk’s post, which goes beyond the single “four Jokers” detail.
- A tier 2 voucher named Lunker
- Algorithmic changes for picking the next voucher
- A blue stakes rework
The dev’s simple presence seemed to excite one user who appeared to be a first-time visitor to the Discord.
The End of the Road
LocalThunk sees the 1.1 update as the final stop. The plan calls for a 1.1 update to arrive first, with a 1.1.1 update coming right after, “for balance tweaks and changes after player feedback.”.
“That’s likely it,” he wrote. “Don’t expect any more than that.” He also confirmed that Balatro will not be getting a multiplayer mode.
Fan Reaction
The folks on the Balatro Discord did not show any hint of the worry LocalThunk fears. Instead, most replies were glad he was doing well and urged him to take his time with it.
What’s Missing
The arrival of the Balatro 1.1 update has not been given any date at all. It sounds like a substantial change, yet the schedule for it stays unknown.
The Self-Aware Loop
LocalThunk’s admission that he’s been posting his own update “leaks” while insisting he can’t give away too much is a charmingly self-aware loop. He’s teasing the future of the game while refusing to commit to a date.
| Update | Status |
|---|---|
| 1.1 | In development, no release date |
| 1.1.1 | Balance tweaks after player feedback |
| Multiplayer | Confirmed not coming |
The story carries on. The game remains in capable hands, and the work brings satisfaction. The delay is the difficult part, yet LocalThunk is working tirelessly to ensure the waiting period produces something worthwhile.
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