You can now order a real deck of Balatro cards, which is good because that game's still all I think about

News
By published

Though they won't be arriving in time for Christmas.

A pack of real life Balatro cards.
(Image credit: LocalThunk, Fangamer)

Not content with simply being one of the best PC games of the year and subsequently dominating on mobile too, Balatro is now getting ready to launch on the most important platform of all—real life. In partnership with Fangamer, developer LocalThunk has opened preorders for a real deck of Balatro cards, complete with a selection of fan-favourite jokers.

Okay, so you won't quite be able to play actual Balatro with them, but they'll certainly give your next poker night or solitaire session the edge. It's a bit disappointing that the pictures on the order page seem to be just renders rather than actual product photos, but they sound like they should be good quality—they're 300gsm white core card stock (pretty normal for poker decks, I think) but with a glossy linen finish which should make them durable with a pretty premium feel.

It's not the first time LocalThunk's made official merch available—on the Balatro website you can also preorder a Jimbo plushie, and there's a selection of clothing and other items too. I can speak to the quality of the t-shirts at least—I grabbed a Jimbo shirt a while back and it's super comfy, in addition to letting everyone I meet know what a cool dude I am.

Robin Valentine
Robin Valentine
Senior Editor

Formerly the editor of PC Gamer magazine (and the dearly departed GamesMaster), Robin combines years of experience in games journalism with a lifelong love of PC gaming. First hypnotised by the light of the monitor as he muddled through Simon the Sorcerer on his uncle’s machine, he’s been a devotee ever since, devouring any RPG or strategy game to stumble into his path. Now he's channelling that devotion into filling this lovely website with features, news, reviews, and all of his hottest takes.