Last checked: September 20, 2026.
Is Balatro getting an update?
Yes. Balatro 1.1 is still in development, and it still has no release date. In mid-September 2026 the developer, LocalThunk, posted the most detailed look at it so far in the official Balatro Discord: a new tier 2 voucher, a new card trigger, at least four new jokers, and a second Blue Stake rework.
None of it is playable yet. The live game is patch 1.0.1o, the version our joker database and voucher list are current to. No paid DLC has been announced.
1.1 at a glance
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Release date | Not announced. LocalThunk says the update ships when it is done. |
| New jokers | At least 4. Only Survey has a name. |
| New trigger | "When a card is drawn to hand." Described in detail, effects not final. |
| New voucher | Lunker, a tier 2 voucher. Effect not stated. |
| Voucher draw | Rewritten to favour tier 2. Described in detail. |
| Blue Stake | Reworked a second time. Effect not stated. |
| 1.1 content toggle | A checkbox in your profile turns the new jokers and vouchers on. |
| Steam 1.0 branch | Planned, for mods that need the old build. |
| 1.2 | Not planned. |
| Multiplayer | Not planned. |
What LocalThunk revealed in September 2026
These details come from the developer's own messages in the official Balatro Discord. No blog post or Steam announcement has repeated them yet, so they are second-hand reporting of what he said, not patch notes. Every item below is labelled confirmed or not confirmed, because the gap between the two is wide.
Lunker, a new tier 2 voucher
Confirmed: the voucher exists, it is called Lunker, and it is tier 2. LocalThunk showed its art: a green fish on a hook.
Not confirmed: what it does. He did not say, and he did not name a tier 1 voucher that pairs with it.
The voucher draw will favour tier 2
Confirmed: the algorithm is changing. Balatro has 16 tier 1 vouchers and 16 tier 2 upgrades. Take Paint Brush today and your next voucher draw has a 1-in-16 chance of offering its partner, Palette. The new rule counts the tier 1 vouchers you hold whose tier 2 partner you have not taken. Hold N of those across M voucher sets and the next draw gives you an N-in-M chance at a tier 2 voucher. LocalThunk said that chance will not be diluted as the game gains more vouchers.
A new trigger: when a card is drawn to hand
Confirmed: the trigger exists. It fires during normal rounds, and it also fires when cards appear inside Tarot and Spectral packs.
Not confirmed: which jokers use it. LocalThunk demonstrated it with a card reading "Ace up your Sleeve", worth +1 Mult whenever an Ace is drawn to hand. That card was an example of the mechanic, not a confirmed joker.
The effect lands as the card arrives, before you play or score it. That is a window Balatro does not currently have.
At least four new jokers, one named
Confirmed: the count. LocalThunk had said at least two; he now says at least four. One of them is named Survey.
Not confirmed: the other three, and what Survey does. He described Survey as "does the thing with the face cards" and showed a hand-drawn smiley face standing in for its art.
Blue Stake is being reworked again
Confirmed: Blue Stake changes in 1.1, and this is the second version. LocalThunk finished one rework, changed his mind a few months ago, and started over. He says the new one fits much better.
Not confirmed: the new effect.
How you switch the new content on
Confirmed: the Blue Stake rework and the joker reworks apply to every player in 1.1. A checkbox in your profile enables the new content — the vouchers and the jokers. Achievements are not blocked by that toggle.
A 1.0 branch on Steam
Confirmed: after 1.1 ships, Steam will offer a selectable 1.0 branch, so mods that need the old build keep working.
What comes after 1.1
Confirmed: LocalThunk expects to ship 1.1.0, then 1.1.1 a few months later with bug fixes and balance tweaks. He said not to expect more than that. No 1.2 is planned, and no multiplayer version of Balatro is planned.
What you can play today
2026 has added places to play Balatro, not gameplay changes:
- On February 25, Balatro's official X account announced the Switch 2 version. Switch 1 owners receive an owner discount, but save files do not transfer.
- On June 30, the same account announced Balatro on the Epic Games Store.
The news roundup covers both releases in more detail.
Earlier 1.1 statements
A February 2025 PC Gamer interview named three things for 1.1: new Jokers, a rework for Matador, and a change to Blue Stake. Two of those now have more detail — at least four jokers, and a Blue Stake rework that has been redone. Matador is still only a mention.
In a September 12, 2025 blog post, LocalThunk said 1.1 would miss 2025, that he would keep working at a hobbyist pace, and that the patch would be free on all platforms when it arrives. In a February 20, 2026 post, he closed with: "P.S. Yes I'm still working on 1.1."
A banana Joker image circulated in January 2026, and Notebookcheck reported that LocalThunk shared the art through Discord for the 1.1 cycle. The art is real. The name, effect, rarity and unlock rules are not, and the September posts did not clear any of that up.
The official timeline
| Date | Source | What it said |
|---|---|---|
| August 7, 2024 | Steam announcement | A major gameplay update was planned for 2025, with new ideas and strategies, free on all platforms. |
| September 12, 2025 | LocalThunk: "I'm Slow" | 1.1 would miss 2025. The developer would continue at a hobbyist pace, with no fixed release date. |
| February 20, 2026 | LocalThunk: "Bad Grades" | LocalThunk confirmed that work on 1.1 was continuing. |
| Mid-September 2026 | LocalThunk in the official Balatro Discord | Named Lunker, described the card-draw trigger, raised the new joker count to at least four, and confirmed a second Blue Stake rework and a 1.0 Steam branch. Still no date. |
What we still do not know
No release date. No final card list, effect text or rarity for any new joker. No effect for Lunker. No new Blue Stake numbers. No final version number for the patch.
If another site posts dates, patch lists or leaks, treat them as rumours until LocalThunk, Steam or Balatro's official account posts the same information.
The last major gameplay patch
Update 1.0.1f
The official Steam patch notes describe 1.0.1f as the first substantial balance patch after launch. Its changes included:
- A Love2D engine update that fixed stuttering on Windows and Steam Deck.
- A Reduced Motion setting that removes the swirly background and most card animation.
- UI changes to stickers, upcoming blinds, and shop tags.
- Balance changes to poker hand scores, joker rarities, and the Sinful Jokers.
If you are rebuilding around those numbers, use the Balatro score calculator.
Where official news will appear
- Balatro on Steam
- LocalThunk's blog
- Balatro on X
- The official Balatro Discord, where the September details came from. LocalThunk said he would return there with development updates and previews.
Sources checked
- CG Magazine: Balatro 1.1 update details — September 16, 2026
- God is a Geek: 1.1 adds new Jokers, Lunker and Blue Stake changes
- Notebookcheck: at least four new jokers, new voucher and opt-in content
- r/balatro: Balatro 1.1 news and leaks — the community thread that aggregated the Discord posts
- PC Gamer: LocalThunk on the 1.1 update
- Steam: major gameplay update announcement
- LocalThunk: "I'm Slow"
- LocalThunk: "Bad Grades"
- Steam: 1.0.1f patch notes
- PC Gamer: LocalThunk's 2025 1.1 interview
- Balatro on X: Switch 2 availability
- Balatro on X: Epic Games Store availability
- Notebookcheck: January 2026 banana Joker teaser report
Keep reading
Patch Notes: a closer look at the 1.0.1f balance changes.
Latest Updates: recent Balatro news and release coverage.
Joker Database: current effects for all 150 jokers.