Black Mirror could present us a wide range of near-future dystopias, however a minimum of these unlucky to dwell by way of considered one of them can play Balatro.

The poker-themed roguelike Balatro turned a smash hit on its launch final yr, promoting 1m copies in its first month, and issues have solely gone from power to power for solo developer LocalThunk. Together with scooping up quite a few awards, most lately together with a BAFTA for finest debut sport, Balatro has now made an look on TV.

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Does Anybody Actually Need Lengthy Video games Anymore?

Sure, Balatro is within the new Black Mirror sequence, within the third episode of its seventh season. This episode is known as Resort Reverie, and its synopsis reads thus: “A high-tech remake of a traditional movie sends its A-list star into one other dimension, the place she should follow the script if she ever desires to make it dwelling.”

Balatro is a pastime of the A-list star’s agent. When the 2 are on the cellphone collectively early on within the episode, the cardboard sport could be seen on the agent’s laptop computer.

This second was noticed and shared on social media, with LocalThunk shortly responding. “So uh Balatro is now canonically in Black Mirror,” the developer wrote. The present’s creator Charlie Brooker then replied with a saluting emoji.

I’m wondering the place Balatro could present up subsequent? Hollywood, maybe.

Earlier this yr, Balatro’s LocalThunk shared his ideas on the AI artwork debate, stating “I believe it does actual hurt to artists of all types”. Many believed each LocalThunk and Playstack supported AI artwork.

Additionally this yr, the Balatro developer efficiently appealed PEGI’s resolution to categorise the sport as PEGI 18 as a result of its poker theme.