This week, the nominees for The Game Awards 2024 were announced, with the ceremony set to honor the industry's best on December 12. As always, the announcements by Geoff Keighley, producer and host of the event, sparked excitement across social media, especially regarding the titles competing for this year’s GOTY.
One game, in particular, stood out with its nominations, including a nod for Game of the Year. That title is Balatro, a critically acclaimed card game and one of the most celebrated indie releases of 2024.
Its creator, LocalThunk, was as surprised as anyone to see the game earning multiple nominations. The developer took to social media and forums to express gratitude and used the opportunity to highlight other indie titles that, in their view, also deserve recognition.
Balatro creator celebrates TGA 2024 nominations
Balatro has become hugely popular in recent months, winning players over with its simple, fun, and highly addictive mechanics. It's no surprise, then, that it earned nominations in several categories at The Game Awards 2024.
The card game will compete in five categories: Game of the Year, Best Direction, Best Indie Game, Best Debut Indie Game, and Best Mobile Game. Naturally, LocalThunk was overjoyed and shared multiple messages online, expressing gratitude and excitement after receiving a flood of congratulations.
"Crazy crazy day, so many messages of love and support from amazing people I have had the pleasure to meet these past couple years. In total disbelief."
LocalThunk also took the opportunity to champion the indie scene, urging players to support other talented developers. They acknowledged how challenging it is to stand out in the industry and expressed gratitude for the support they’ve received.
"I wanted to thank all of you wonderful people for giving my game a shot and celebrating the unbelievable 5 Game Award nominations for Balatro with me. One of the things I've learned this past year is how kind and supportive the indie dev community is. We all know how hard this industry can be and help each other where we can."
Fans were quick to rally behind LocalThunk, celebrating the nominations and expressing confidence in Balatro’s chances of winning multiple awards. Many are even hopeful it could beat heavyweights like ASTROBOT, Black Myth: Wukong, ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Metaphor: ReFantazio for GOTY 2024.
LocalThunk encourages support for other indie games
The developer expressed gratitude for being an indie representative at The Game Awards 2024 but also noted that other exceptional games deserved nominations or greater recognition. LocalThunk recommended titles such as Animal Well, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Billionaire, and Arco, urging players to explore these standout indie projects that deserve more attention.
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