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Geralt of Rivia is a known card game fan, and not just because of Gwent. As it turns out, the famous witcher is also a huge fan of Balatro – so big that it’s actually in the game now.
Geralt and a few familiar friends have joined Balatro in the game’s first “Collaboration Pack,” a crossover that adds optional face card backs from not only The Witcher 3, but also Dave the Diver, Vampire Survivors, and Among Us. The card cosmetics can be unlocked through a new “Deck Settings” menu that lets players customize their decks with new cards.
“These conversations were surreal,” said Balatro developer Localthunk. “Some of the biggest names in gaming praised my little project and wanted to collaborate – absolutely crazy. I’m glad we did it!”
Localthunk is not the only one who is excited about the collaboration:
How about a round of… @BalatroGame? ?Balatro: The free Friends of Jimbo update is now available on all platforms and includes map skins inspired by The Witcher! ⚔ pic.twitter.com/UeLIeKx2Si27 August 2024
cheers to @BalatroGame for the collaboration! To celebrate, I destroyed all of your cards, just like Jimbo would have wanted. ? https://t.co/dQn0AtgVbC pic.twitter.com/QDVZZZikO027 August 2024
COLLABORATION? ?Balatro: The free Friends of Jimbo update is now available on all platforms with map skins based on Vampire Survivors! https://t.co/PInHbnUt9M27 August 2024
The crossover is a testament to how popular Balatro really is. These are four big games, and interestingly, they run the gamut from “very indie” to “let’s fight it out, indie” to “big budget blockbuster.” It’s a bit like going to a film festival that has Francis Ford Coppola, Atom Egoyan, and that weird kid sitting at the back of the class: that’s not the kind of lineup you see very often.
The Friends of Jimbo, as the crossover pack is officially called, is the first in a promised series of cosmetic collaborations: Balatro publisher Playstack said more new cards will be released later this year. Playstack also shared more news on Balatro, saying today’s reveal is the second of three announcements promised earlier this month. The first is a “major gameplay update” due in 2025. The third major announcement remains a secret for now, but Playstack said “the last one is going to be a blast too.”
