Ever found yourself wondering how to say “Balatro” correctly? The indie card-based roguelite sensation has captivated millions, but its name’s pronunciation has sparked a playful debate. At the recent Game Developers Conference, we got the official word straight from the source: LocalThunk, the anonymous developer behind Balatro, pronounces it “BAH-luh-trow.” Yet, much like the classic “gif/jif” dilemma, the creator is happy to let fans say it however they like-whether “ba-LAH-tro,” “BAH-la-tro,” or even “BAY-la-tro.” So, how do you say Balatro? The choice is yours, and it might just be part of the fun.
Balatro is not only the name of the game, but it’s also the Latin word for a professional jester or buffoon. (If you don’t know about Balatro, which has grossed more than $1 million within mere hours of its release, here’s a quick explanation: You’re looking to make increasingly high scores by playing poker hands, improving your deck between each round by buying and upgrading cards. Joker cards can be purchased or unlocked to bend the rules of poker even further.)
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The easy answer for how to pronounce Balatro is by looking to the pronunciation of the Latin word, which is (/’bɑːlɑːtroʊ/ BAH-lah-troh), according to Wikipedia. For reference, I have been pronouncing it ball-troh, because I didn’t realize the Ace of Spades card in the logo stood in for an actual A. But when I did see the word spelled in regular text, I started calling it ball-uh-troh. There were a couple minor variations on the Latin pronunciation during the AELGAMES meeting where this question arose, including the correct Latin way.
But it turns out, we’re all right. A representative from PlayStack, the publisher of Balatro, said that there are three ways to look at this.
The first is from the developer, LocalThunk, who said he doesn’t actually know either – “whatever makes people happy.” The second answer is the Latin pronunciation, which we already know is BAH-lah-troh. The third way, the representative said, comes from Latin teachers: “As long as you pronounce it with confidence, it is correct!”
How did the developer at Balatro explain its pronunciation during the conference
At the Game Developers Conference, Naman Budhwar, head of video marketing at Balatro’s publisher PlayStack, revealed that the game’s anonymous developer, LocalThunk, pronounces “Balatro” as “BAH-luh-trow.” However, Budhwar explained that LocalThunk doesn’t mind how people say it, likening the situation to the “gif/jif” debate-fans are free to pronounce it in whichever way they prefer, whether “ba-LAH-tro,” “BAH-la-tro,” or even “BAY-la-tro”.
Why did the developer choose to remain largely silent about the pronunciation of Balatro
The developer of Balatro, LocalThunk, chose to remain largely silent about the pronunciation of the game’s title because they are a very private person who prefers to avoid big interviews and instead communicate with fans mainly through the game’s website and social media accounts. This preference for privacy means LocalThunk has not offered much elaboration on the pronunciation topic. Additionally, the developer does not mind how people pronounce “Balatro,” likening it to the “gif/jif” debate, and is comfortable with fans using whichever pronunciation they prefer. This relaxed attitude, combined with the developer’s desire for privacy, explains why there has been little direct commentary from LocalThunk on the matter.
