Balatro is a massively popular video game, having sold over 3 million units and received several accolades. However, it faced a rough launch as its demo allowed players to unlock the full game simply by editing a file with Notepad.

Wout Van Halderen, the Communications Director at Playstack, during a talk at GDC, expressed the challenges faced with the initial demo:

“You could only play 50 rounds back in the first demo. So if you played the rounds, it was cut off, and the demo was over. And people would use all those 50 rounds, they played five to six hours … You could use Notepad to [adjust some code and unlock] the entire game.”

This exploit prompted a swift response from the developers to enhance the demo and prevent any cracks. Van Halderen remarked:

“We did want to bury it as soon as possible, because the whole game was available … So making sure there was a newer, shinier version of the game too—it was very important to do that quick, and to make sure it was better than the cracked version.”

The team worked diligently to release an improved demo that was not easily exploited. This effort showed their commitment to giving players a better experience while maintaining the integrity of their game. Balatro’s growth post-launch has been exemplary, contributing to its recognition as Game of the Year 2024.