Balatro dev Localthunk has revealed a lovely little reference hidden inside one of the game’s many cards, one that calls back to his home town of Regina, Saskatchewan.
Posting this tidbit of Balatro lore on Twitter, Localthunk offered some development context for the ‘Ride the Bus’ card to their followers, as well as a side-by-side of the card art and its real life inspiration.
“Pointless Balatro lore: When I started Balatro dev I was living in my hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan,” he wrote. “I had a bus stop outside my apartment (similar to the one in this image) and I based the art of ‘Ride the Bus’ on that bus stop!”
Who doesn’t love a bit of local love hidden inside video games. My mind immediately goes to Driver on the PS1, in which the developers hid a secret recreation of Newcastle in the UK. It remains true that the place in which a game is made can often seep inside the work of the creatives living there. A nice thought, especially for those from Regina. Let’s go Pats!
Balatro has proven exceptionally popular since its release back in February last year. As of January 2025, it has surpassed 5m copies sold, and was estimated to have generated $4.4m two months after release on mobile alone.
It’s also proven itself to be an awards magnet, taking home multiple awards at the Game Developers Choice awards including Game of the Year, Best Design, Best Debut, and Innovation Award. Mr. Thunk even played the game at the conference while remaining totally anonymous.