You’re staring at a hand of cards, praying for a Flush, and suddenly Ezio Auditore pops up on your King of Spades. It’s weird. It’s glorious. It’s exactly why people are still losing sleep over Balatro.
If you've been living under a rock—or just haven't checked your Steam updates lately—Friends of Jimbo 4 is the latest massive cosmetic drop for the poker roguelike that took over the world. LocalThunk, the mysterious developer behind the game, has this habit of just... giving things away for free. No microtransactions. No battle passes. Just a "here, have some Fallout cards because I thought they looked cool."
But here’s the thing: this isn't just a basic skin pack. It’s a collision of some of the biggest IPs in gaming history, and honestly, it changes the vibe of a run more than you’d think.
What is Friends of Jimbo 4 exactly?
Basically, it's the fourth installment of the "Friends of Jimbo" collaboration series. When Balatro first launched its collab updates, we got The Witcher and Among Us. People went nuts. Then came the second and third packs with Stardew Valley and Cult of the Lamb.
Friends of Jimbo 4 upped the ante. Released in early 2025 (and officially hitting Xbox Game Pass alongside the update), this pack brought in some heavy hitters. We’re talking:
- Fallout: Vault Boy grinning at you while you go bankrupt.
- Assassin’s Creed: Ezio Auditore da Firenze taking over the face cards.
- Critical Role: Specifically Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III (say that five times fast).
- Slay the Princess: A hauntingly beautiful addition for the indie fans.
- Civilization VII: Because why not manage an empire while playing poker?
- Bugsnax, Rust, and Dead by Daylight: Rounding out a roster that feels like a "Who's Who" of gaming.
The update is totally free. If you own the game on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, or mobile, you already have it. You just have to toggle the skins in the "Customize Deck" menu.
Why the Fallout and AC Collabs Matter
Most people think, "Oh, it's just a skin."
They're wrong. When you're 40 hours into a Balatro addiction, the visual fatigue is real. Seeing the Vault-Tec aesthetic or the Assassin's Creed sigil on your cards breaks that trance. It makes the game feel fresh again.
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I was skeptical about the Civilization VII tie-in at first. How does a grand strategy game translate to a 2D playing card? Surprisingly well. The art style is clean, and it fits the "prestige" feel of a high-stakes Gold Stake run.
How to Unlock and Use the Pack 4 Skins
You don’t have to do anything crazy to get these. There are no secret challenges or "Win 5 runs with a Five of a Kind" requirements for the Friends of Jimbo 4 pack.
- Open Balatro (make sure it's updated to the latest version).
- Go to Customize Deck from the main menu or before starting a run.
- Scroll through the options for your Jack, Queen, and King.
- Select your favorite franchise.
You can actually mix and match. Want a Fallout King and a Bugsnax Queen? Go for it. It looks like a fever dream, but that's part of the charm.
The Stealth Launch on Game Pass
One thing many players missed during the hype of the Pack 4 reveal was that it coincided with Balatro finally landing on Xbox Game Pass.
This was a huge move for Playstack (the publisher). It brought a whole new wave of players into the "Jimbo-verse." If you're playing on Game Pass, the Friends of Jimbo 4 content is baked right in from day one. You aren't missing out on anything the "OGs" who bought it on Steam have.
Is there more coming?
LocalThunk is notoriously quiet, but the pattern is clear. These packs usually drop every few months. While the dev has mentioned working on a "major gameplay update" for later in 2026, these cosmetic packs act as the perfect bridge.
There’s a specific kind of magic in seeing Slay the Princess—a game about psychological horror and existential dread—sitting right next to a smiling Bugsnax card. It shows how much the indie dev community supports Balatro. It’s a "Friend of Jimbo" for a reason; these developers are actually friends or fans of each other's work.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
If you’re heading back into the game to check out the new skins, here’s how to make the most of it:
- Check the Animations: Some of the collab cards have unique visual flourishes when they’re played or scored. Pay attention to the Fallout cards specifically; the art style is incredibly faithful to the Pip-Boy aesthetic.
- Don't Forget the Mobile Version: If you’re a mobile player, ensure you’ve cleared your cache or re-synced with the App Store/Google Play. Sometimes the cosmetic updates take an extra hour to propagate compared to Steam.
- Match the Vibe: Try running the Fallout skins with a "Checkered Deck" or "Abandoned Deck." The post-apocalyptic feel of Vault Boy pairs weirdly well with a deck that’s missing its face cards or suits.
The beauty of Friends of Jimbo 4 is that it costs nothing but gives the game a second (or fifth) life. Go swap your boring old Kings for Ezio and see if it changes your luck. (It won't, the RNG is still out to get you, but at least you'll look cool while losing.)