The developer behind Balatro, the wildly popular poker-based roguelike, has openly shared why his game is free of microtransactions, ads, and other monetization-heavy features. Localthunk, the game’s creator, bluntly stated that seeing such elements in games "makes me want to put my computer in the dishwasher and set it to pots and pans."
In a post on Bluesky, Localthunk clarified:
"The honest reason I don't have microtransactions/season pass/ads/100 DLCs/etc in Balatro isn't just about the ethics of those practices, but because when I play other games that have those things, it makes me want to put my computer in the dishwasher and set it to pots and pans."
He continued by explaining how these monetization tactics can detract from the overall experience:
"Like, I get why people add those things, but you're shooting your UX in the foot if players are having their first impression and also being bombarded with a bunch of nonsense that isn't actually the game."
When asked whether he was subtly criticizing Marvel Snap—a free-to-play digital card game—Localthunk responded:
"This isn't about them, but I'm not letting them off the hook either lol. There's, like, a 95% chance that if the game is [free-to-play], then the main menu UI is more complicated than the actual game UI."
This sentiment echoes broader concerns within the gaming community about exploitative monetization strategies. Many developers and publishers have faced criticism for incorporating predatory mechanics, particularly around loot boxes and in-game purchases. Regulatory bodies, including Norway’s consumer council, have labeled loot boxes as exploitative, while countries like Belgium and the Netherlands have taken steps to ban them outright. Even in the U.S., some senators have pushed for regulation after investigations by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) into so-called "greedy" in-app purchase models.
The debate over monetization recently made headlines again when Activision added advertisements to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone loadout menus—an unpopular move that was quickly reversed after significant backlash. The company claimed the change was a "feature test" mistakenly published during development.
Beyond monetization, Localthunk has also spoken out on other important issues. He recently took a firm stance against AI-generated art after a subreddit moderator falsely claimed both the developer and publisher Playstack were indifferent to its use. Localthunk swiftly clarified his position:
"Neither Playstack nor I condone AI 'art'. I don't use it in my game, I think it does real harm to artists of all kinds. The actions of this mod do not reflect how Playstack feels or how I feel on the topic. We have removed this moderator from the moderation team."
For those unfamiliar, Balatro is a critically acclaimed deckbuilder where players craft illegal poker hands, unlock powerful jokers, and unleash explosive combos. IGN awarded the game a 9/10, praising it as "a deck-building poker roguelike of endlessly satisfying proportions" and noting that "Balatro is the sort of fun that threatens to derail whole weekend plans."
