If you’re playing Balatro on Xbox — here’s why you should stop
Balatro update 1.0.1c is coming, and it will make the game even better
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What you need to know
I’m officially addicted to the rogue-like poker deck builder Balatro. I’ve clocked in 90 hours in the game since its launch across Xbox and Steam, but for now, I’m completely shelving my Xbox playthrough. Why? The experimental build on Steam lets you play the upcoming patch 1.0.1c, which plays like a completely different game. An even better Balatro, and now I can’t go back. If you’re playing on Xbox right now, it would be a great time to take a break and wait for the patch to officially roll out on all platforms “in a about a week”. It’s THAT good, and it will be a whole lot easier to get that Completionist++ achievement if you’re an achievement hunter.
Balatro patch 1.0.1c is full of balancing buffs to nerfs, overall making a much better game
I’ve already enjoyed my Balatro ‘v1’ time enough to have put so many god-forsaken hours into it, but there’s no question that the changes in the upcoming patch would have made my first wins aloteasier to come by. Balatro is made by one developer, the anonymous LocalThunk, and despite it being a huge achievement and success, it’s not been without its bugs. For example, relying on pure RNG means coming up against bosses that disable all of your cards until you sell a joker, you can encounter this boss on a ‘Jokerless’ challenge. Many other pain points have been fixed and you can read thefull patch notes on Reddit, but I’ve summarized them here in an order that makes for easier reading:
Free jokers for skipping blinds, bump to financial rewards.
Changes to Planet cards, making more difficult hands easier to scale
Joker changes, mostly buffs, but some nerfs to overpowered cards like Vampire
Tarot card and seal changes
Ante scaling changes making higher stakes less brutal
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More notable changes
How to play the new Balatro patch 1.0.1c on Steam
If you’re playing on Steam either on PC or your Steam Deck, you can test out the new patch now. I’ve been playing 1.0.1c and unlocked a bunch of new cards in my game, and reached higher difficulties much easier than before. These changes to my game will stay intact when the patch rolls out officially in around a weeks time. Here’s how you can give it a try:
When will patch 1.0.1c roll out to Xbox?
The experimental build went live on Steam a couple of days ago, on 7 April. with the developer LocalThunk stating they hope the patch to roll out “within a week”. So hopefully we won’t be waiting too long for those easier Xbox achievements!
Balatro |was $17.89now $11.29 at CD Keys|$13.49 at Fanatical|$13.49 at GMGBolatro is a poker-inspired rogue-lite deck builder. Balatro challenges players to create powerful synergies and win big by playing illegal poker hands with unique Joker cards and arcanas. It’s currently reviewed at 97%overwhelmingly positiveon Steam for its addictive gameplay and psychedelic visuals.
Jen is a News Writer for Windows Central, focused on all things gaming and Microsoft. Anything slaying monsters with magical weapons will get a thumbs up such as Dark Souls, Dragon Age, Diablo, and Monster Hunter. When not playing games, she’ll be watching a horror or trash reality TV show, she hasn’t decided which of those categories the Kardashians fit into. You can follow Jen on Twitter@Jenbox360for more Diablo fangirling and general moaning about British weather.
