If you spent 2025 pulling off high-speed, hyper-violent vampire parkour in the overwhelmingly positive boomer-slasher Bloodthief, solo developer Blargis is about to hand you a completely different kind of deck. But don’t expect a relaxing night at the casino.
Blargis has officially pulled back the curtain on Blackout Jack, an upcoming story-driven, grimdark blackjack roguelike heading to PC via Steam. And if you’re eager to try your luck, you won’t have to wait long: the game’s first Steam playtest is officially launching on July 15.
The House Always Wins… Until You Kill the Dealer
Blackout Jack twists the familiar, high-stakes math of classic blackjack into a tense, tactical struggle for survival. Set in the rain-slicked, crooked alleys of a seedy medieval city, this isn’t just a game about beating the house—it’s a game where the house wants to take your literal mortality.
The core loop places you at a table against a sinister, death-dealing dealer. Your ultimate, secret objective? Murder him. To do that, you’ll need to survive card rounds by building insane combos and powerful deck synergies. You aren’t just hitting or standing; you’ll be manipulating the odds using:
- Card-altering elixirs and boons to bend the rules.
- Life-paid chips and multipliers to maximise your damage.
- Strange relics were purchased from the local hostess using blood gems.
“I wanted to create an experience that blended a strong sense of mystery and narrative with the kind of gameplay where numbers keep going up and every run feels like it can spiral into something bigger.” — Developer Blargis
Explore a City Built on Secrets
What makes Blackout Jack particularly intriguing is that the game doesn’t end at the edge of the card table. When you step away from the dealer, you’ll be able to roam the grim midnight streets of the city.
The urban underbelly is populated by unscrupulous characters, shady denizens, and fellow conspirators. By exploring, you can uncover hidden tools like lockpicks and poisons, pick up cryptic lore, and buy vital items to stack the deck in your favour for your next run.
Naturally, death is a heavy feature in this grimdark world. But in true roguelike fashion, a gruesome game over isn’t the end. While death resets the night, you keep essential knowledge. Every failed run brings you one step closer to decoding the dark conspiracy binding the city together and permanently forcing the dealer to cash out.
Join the Playtest on July 15
If you love the psychological tension of Inscryption mixed with the addictive, rule-breaking card math of Balatro, Blackout Jack looks like it’s going to be a must-play.
Head over to the official Blackout Jack Steam Page right now to hit that wishlist button, and keep your eyes peeled for the playtest drop on July 15!
Find out more here
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