Balatro, the indie roguelike deck-builder that has taken the gaming world by storm, has hinted at a potential collaboration with the massively popular action-RPG, Path of Exile 2. This news follows a series of successful partnerships between Balatro and other major titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Among Us, and Vampire Survivors. The game’s developer, known as LocalThunk, has expressed interest in bringing themed content from Path of Exile 2 into Balatro, which has already sold over 3.5 million copies since its release in February 2024.
Balatro’s rise to fame has been nothing short of extraordinary. Published by Playstack, the game swept several categories at The Game Awards 2024, including Best Debut Indie Game, Best Indie Game, and Best Mobile Game. Its success on various platforms—console, PC, and mobile—has cemented its position as one of the standout indie titles of the year. On Twitter, Balatro celebrated being one of the top-five most played games on Steam Deck, alongside Stardew Valley, Baldur’s Gate 3, Path of Exile 2, and Vampire Survivors. In the post, the developer noted that all but Path of Exile 2‘s creators, Grinding Gear Games, had already collaborated with Balatro through the “Friends of Jimbo” series of updates.
Should this collaboration come to fruition, players can likely expect new cosmetic card designs inspired by Path of Exile 2, similar to what Balatro offered in its crossover with The Witcher 3. That update featured cards themed around iconic characters like Geralt and Yennefer, providing fans with a fresh visual twist without altering gameplay mechanics. This approach has resonated with Balatro’s audience, adding unique flavor while maintaining the game’s core experience.
Beyond its collaborations, Balatro has also been making headlines for other reasons. LocalThunk has openly criticized the game’s PEGI rating, pointing out inconsistencies in how games with microtransactions are rated compared to Balatro’s adult-only classification. While the developer’s concerns have sparked discussion, it appears that regulatory changes are unlikely in the near future.
A crossover with Path of Exile 2 would further bolster Balatro’s reputation as a game that thrives on community-driven updates and creative partnerships. Given its track record, fans eagerly await any confirmation of this potential collaboration, which would likely bring another wave of excitement to the indie game’s ever-growing player base.
