“Many AAA titles have been exploiting players.” CloverPit developers discuss gambling mechanics in video games

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You might recall CloverPit, the unique slot machine game that gained a lot of attention when it came out in September. It wasn’t just a flash in the pan – thousands of players continue to enjoy it every day. The CloverPit community is very active, sharing tips and working together to understand all the game’s mechanics. As you’d expect with a game based on chance, players are always trying to figure out the odds.

Interview with the two developers behind the roguelike slot machine hit, CloverPit

In CloverPit, you’re stuck in a room with a slot machine and an ATM. The game focuses on finding ways to control the slot machine to pay off debts. While similar to the popular roguelike Balatro, CloverPit has a much darker and more unsettling atmosphere, sometimes venturing into psychological horror, reminiscent of games like Buckshot Roulette.

The team graciously answered some of my questions by email, even the ones that might have been a bit challenging for a small development team of two. Matteo and Lorenzo provided thoughtful responses, and we discussed the roguelikes they enjoy, how gambling elements affect games, and hopefully settled the long-standing debate about the difference between roguelikes and roguelites.

Hi everyone! Could you start by telling us a little about yourself? What’s your name, what do you do on the team, and what’s your experience in game development?

Hi, we’re Matteo and Lorenzo, two friends based in central Italy. Matteo handles the programming, while Lorenzo focuses on the art. Together, we created CloverPit. We’ve both been making small independent games for several years – Lorenzo for over five, and Matteo for more than fifteen. In 2024, we released our biggest game yet, Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom, under the name Panik Arcade.

We’re curious what games influenced the development of CloverPit. Titles like Luck Be A Landlord and Buckshot Roulette seem similar, and Balatro was incredibly popular recently. Besides those, what are some of your favorite roguelike or roguelite games?

We were really inspired by Balatro! We also drew from the atmosphere of Buckshot Roulette and Inscryption. As for roguelites, we love games like Isaac, Hades, and Star of Providence, but we’ve played and enjoyed a lot of others too.

Hey, no worries if you’re not interested, but I was wondering if you have any thoughts on what really separates a roguelike game from a roguelite? Do you think there’s a clear difference between the two?

We don’t really have a firm stance on this. We understand that traditionally, roguelikes are dungeon crawlers where characters die permanently and there’s no carrying over of progress between runs. But honestly, we’ve sometimes blurred the lines a bit ourselves!

You may recall the situation with Balatro, where the developers, LocalThunk, had trouble getting an appropriate age rating because of how the game seemed to involve gambling, even though it doesn’t use real money. With CloverPit also featuring a slot machine element, have you run into similar issues? Or is the game’s overall darker theme helping to avoid those concerns?

While a lower age rating is often preferable, we believe our game should be rated for mature audiences due to its realistic depiction of a slot machine.

Regarding gambling, and understanding you’re game developers and may not be experts on this topic, do you think video games could offer a safe environment for people struggling with gambling addiction? Perhaps a space where they can play without the risk of losing money?

We don’t feel qualified to offer a strong opinion on this, as it’s a sensitive topic. It’s worth considering whether the current game market is truly safe, since many major games use tactics similar to casinos to keep players engaged. While dopamine plays a role in enjoying all games – even board games – it becomes problematic when game developers intentionally exploit that system, and unfortunately, this is a common practice in the industry.

We’ve noticed some requests on Steam and Reddit for the CloverPit soundtrack. Are there any plans to release it in the future?

So, we’re potentially on board with this, but honestly, it all depends on what Clement Panchout, the musician, thinks. He’s got the final say!

There’s a lot of competition in the roguelike and roguelite genre on Steam. What makes a game like CloverPit different, and what advice would you give to developers creating a new game in this style?

We believe CloverPit‘s success comes from its immersive fantasy elements and connection to a trending game. Our game stands out because it instantly communicates its core concept: breaking a slot machine. Everyone who’s played one of these machines secretly wants to destroy it and win big! The popularity of Balatro has also boosted interest in gambling-themed games.

MB: Do you consider the game finished, or do you plan to continue adding content in the future?

M&L: That’s a secret heheheh, but we are definitely rebalancing and fixing stuff.

I’m very grateful to Matteo and Lorenzo at Panik Arcade, and to Future Friends Games, for arranging this interview. They didn’t reveal any details about future updates for CloverPit, but it sounds like they may have some surprises planned. Even if no further updates are in the works for this year’s popular gambling roguelike, I’m really excited to see what Panik Arcade creates next.

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2025-11-23 17:33