Balatro‘s highly anticipated Update 1.1 won’t arrive in 2025. Solo developer LocalThunk announced the delay in a post titled “I’m Slow,” abandoning his previous release window entirely.
The free update now has no release date at all. LocalThunk says it will launch “when it’s ready” and confirmed he won’t be giving any more deadlines for this patch.
“The update’s scope expanded,” LocalThunk explained in his announcement. He cited stress and burnout from trying to maintain a regular development schedule. Instead of racing toward arbitrary dates, he’s choosing a more sustainable pace for both himself and the quality of the update.
Update 1.1 has been in the works since August 2024. The patch promises significant balance changes and new content for the poker roguelike that took the gaming world by storm last February.
One of the most anticipated changes involves reworking Blue Stake difficulty. Currently, Blue Stake reduces discards by one, which many players find warps the game’s balance toward simple pair strategies. LocalThunk previously confirmed this mechanic would be replaced with something else entirely.
The update also targets specific Joker cards for rebalancing. Matador, known for its inconsistent performance against boss blinds, sits high on the adjustment list. These tweaks aim to make higher stakes more varied and strategic.
Despite the delay, LocalThunk stressed that Update 1.1 remains a free addition to the base game. He hasn’t canceled anything—just removed the pressure of meeting public deadlines.
The announcement sparked mostly supportive reactions from Balatro‘s community. Many players noted the base game already feels complete after selling millions of copies across PC, consoles, and mobile platforms. Any free content represents bonus material rather than missing features.
This isn’t the first time LocalThunk has been transparent about development challenges. His earlier “Balatro timeline” blog post detailed the unexpected pressures that came with the game’s explosive success. Now he’s applying those lessons by prioritizing sustainable development over speed.
