In the gaming world, losing track of time is almost a badge of honour. We’ve all experienced it – just one more quest, one more match, or one more level, and suddenly it’s 3 AM. But when a game is so addictive that players have accumulated a staggering 11,000 years of combined playtime, you know you’re dealing with a whole new level of obsession.
Welcome to Balatro, the indie deckbuilder that has quietly consumed entire millennia of player time, one hand at a time. According to the game’s creator, LocalThunk, players across all platforms have spent over 11,000 years navigating Balatro’s addictive gameplay.
And if you’ve ever launched it for a quick session, this statistic might not surprise you, and you might even be responsible for a good chunk of those hours yourself!
The announcement made on X sparked a wave of reactions from players who felt the number might be… undercooked. One fan quipped, “I think you’re only counting my hours,” while others joked about needing to hide their playtime from their bosses.
So, what exactly is Balatro, and how did it become the deckbuilder equivalent of Skyrim, captivating players forever? At its core, Balatro is a deckbuilding game designed for those who typically don’t enjoy deckbuilders.
It’s a poker game for people who can’t tell a royal flush from a full house, and most importantly of all, it’s utterly hypnotic whether you have five minutes or five hours to spare – or even 11,000 years if you’re you’re feeling particularly dedicated.
Curious about the buzz? Check out Balatro on Steam and see how much time it steals from you. But if you have already played the game, I have to ask – how many of those 11,000 years do you think you’ve contributed? Come on, be honest!