this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2025
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[–] markz@suppo.fi 125 points 3 days ago (1 children)

What’s worse is that despite him spending $32,000, he’s still not obtained all of the best cards in the game.

This is ok, but balatro is gambling.

NBA 2K26 also releases on Setpember 5, 2025, which will make all of his purchases pretty useless if he was to move on to the next game.

bruh

[–] MyDarkestTimeline01@ani.social 57 points 3 days ago (3 children)

It's because Balatro and small indies that catch fire threaten the bloated dinosaurs that are the AAA franchises.

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 31 points 3 days ago

"We've spent 30 years underperforming and manipulating our customers to get where we are today! We're not about to let some noob take a slice of our pie just because they came up with this wacky idea of a 'Fun game that's reasonably priced!'"

[–] Goodeye8@piefed.social 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think that's a bit farfetched. I don't think any AAA dinosaur feels threatened by Balatro, and if we talk specifically about sports games Balatro is not a threat because that genre has formed its own thick bubble that Balatro could never penetrate.

The more obvious reason is probably true, lawmakers are simply too stupid to tell the difference between using gambling motiffs and actual gambling.

Or more likely, some Karen somewhere saw face cards and complained, and lawmakers/regulators didn't bother doing any actual research.

[–] NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

No. It is because Balatro actually had playing cards and pretended it was poker. Its similar to how so many older games could have your character popping meth near constantly but it is fine because it isn't tobacco.

That said: I really do wish we would have a proper reckoning. I love Balatro. It very much takes the skinner box and slot machine mechanics to an all new level. So does Vampire Survivors. And if you ask most millennial gamers, we'll have stories about how we almost flunked out of college because of Diablo or WoW and the like.

The gacha games and ultimate team and all that very much exploit the same concepts but with a goal of milking every single penny out of their consumerbase. But time is often just as important (and most of said milking comes from people realizing they have no time to spare) and it is important people realize that.

[–] Chozo@fedia.io 5 points 3 days ago

It is because Balatro actually had playing cards and pretended it was poker.

Playing cards != gambling

Poker != gambling

Its similar to how so many older games could have your character popping meth near constantly but it is fine because it isn't tobacco.

What kinda games are you referring to here?

[–] Brotha_Jaufrey@lemmy.world 30 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Numb-nuts like these people are why every game is riddled with microtransactions

[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Why I avoid these types of games. It's mostly about smaller studios these days who make the good games.

Yup. Sometimes larger studios make a good game, but most of the games I play are from indies or smaller AA studios.

[–] missingno@fedia.io 58 points 3 days ago (2 children)

These games are designed to take advantage of addicts. The fact that you don't know how much it will cost to get what you want, the fact that there is no limit on how much you can spend, is a feature.

[–] sturmblast@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

It's like a casino but there is nothing to win. Honestly people that are stupid enough to spend money on bullshit like this deserve anything that comes their way. Don't waste your money on bullshit. Lesson learned.

[–] acosmichippo@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

addicts and/or people who have more money than they know what to do with.

[–] TacoSocks 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Usually they don't have more money than they know what to do with, what money have have gets funnelled into their addiction, the rest becomes debt.

[–] acosmichippo@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

hence "and/or"

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 61 points 3 days ago

Don't think of this as an individual making stupid choices with a game. Think of this as a game with thousands of players designed to target and take advantage of the neuro-divergent or those susceptible to problem gambling.

Micro-tranactions are a predatory gambling mechanic and this person was robbed of this money.

[–] ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's him, John Microtransaction.

[–] ThunderComplex@lemmy.today 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If you think $32k is so much to spend on MTX to call him John Microtransaction I’m sorry to say that he's probably still just a medium sized fish.

[–] Sculptor9157@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

Hey, it's not the size of the transaction that matters, but how John uses it.

[–] attempt@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If he’s a YouTuber and it’s a work expense I’d think the videos he made on it more than offset the cost, pretty sure that’s how it works with the gacha creators that spend $200K on genshin impact

Yup. I watch MtG Arena draft videos, and they throw hundreds with worth of resources sometimes in a single video, but they're also making ad revenue and whatnot, so it works out. And viewer numbers are peanuts compared to more mainstream games.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 4 points 2 days ago

It's not even a good game. It's not significantly improved from previous titles why people paying microtransactions for this let alone buying the game at all

[–] yoriaiko@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 3 days ago (2 children)

We should request/make new gaming categories.

Casual, for moms and aunts.

Classic, for gamers, us, dedicated to games, sitting on forums, knowing the market and following "and remember - no preorders" like rules.

Gacha, for streamers.

Milk farms, for rich who don't know what do to with monies, so they can spend $32000 per game ez.

Everyone gets something, and we will know to stay away from other categories.

./s just in case.

[–] FalseTautology@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 days ago (2 children)
[–] victorz@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

He had me until the /s, honestly. Sounded like a not-so-bad idea.

[–] yoriaiko@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 days ago

As my comment above, publishers would quickly make "Super Milky Gacha game for Casuals - Classic edition!" and all would go messy even more than current mobile gaming market. Wish I could be wrong on this one, but I can't see this working.

[–] yoriaiko@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 days ago

Coz it's bit utopian, unrealistic request. Also The Sims would fall in every category.

Also, very quickly, publishers (and some devs) would announce "Super Milky Gacha game for Casuals - Classic edition!" and all would go ruin even more, than current mobile gaming market. Totally not worthy.

[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

I only pre-order from one company. From software. I've got hundreds of hours into most of their games, just not bloodborne since I don't own a ps.

[–] Phegan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

I bought 2k21 as my first sports game in a long time. I never knew how bad they got , I just wanna hoop.

[–] Damage@feddit.it 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

They should be forced to reimburse. This is beyond predatory.

[–] acosmichippo@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

what's fucking sad is I don't think this guy even realizes he has a problem.

One things for sure, I will not spend this much again, because you don’t get rewarded for it. As much as I spent, I should have everything in the game, but it’s not even close.

That's what you say when you've spent like $100. hell maybe even $1000. But $32k??? This is so far beyond being not "rewarded for it".

Consider they might be the kid of someoneand their monthly allowance is more than $32000

[–] sturmblast@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Honestly, if you can AFFORD TO SPEND $32k in five months, that's on you.

[–] cyrano@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 days ago

This is disgusting.