Stranger Things Fans Pin Hopes on Secret Finale After Balatro Clues
Stranger Things enthusiasts are buzzing over a wild theory linking the show's ending to the card game Balatro, after spotting cryptic references in behind-the-scenes footage and Netflix promos.
Disappointment over the last season of Stranger Things hasn’t stopped diehard fans from clinging to the idea that a hidden final episode might still be in the works. The latest theory, dubbed ConformityGate, has taken a turn for the bizarre, with the card game Balatro now at the centre of speculation. The rumour mill kicked off when a sharp-eyed fan, @seaweedpenumbra, noticed the game’s name scribbled on a whiteboard in the writers’ room, as seen in the behind-the-scenes documentary One Last Adventure.
Adding fuel to the fire, Netflix’s 2026 promotional material has been heavy on tarot imagery, and there’s already been a Balatro nod in ‘Hotel Reverie’, the third episode of Black Mirror’s seventh season. For those not across it, that episode follows an actress who steps into an old film and rewrites the ending to suit herself.
“It can't be a coincidence that the What's Next on Netflix marketing focused so heavily on tarot cards just for there to be a split-second Balatro reference in the Duffer doc. #balatrotheory is 100% proof of coordinated trickery, and everyone should be on the bus,”
the fan wrote, convinced there’s more going on than meets the eye.
Balatro, Tarot, and Stranger Parallels
Some reckon the links between Balatro and Stranger Things go deeper than a few Easter eggs. In the game, there’s a secret card called ‘Planet X’ that you can unlock by switching your deck to a ‘5 of a Kind’. Theorists have drawn a line between this and the show’s Dimension X, also known as The Abyss. There’s even a track called ‘Planet X’ by Calimossa, released in 2018, which fans say has uncanny similarities to the ConformityGate saga. That song popped up in a 2021 Masterclass ad featuring Issa Rae, who played the lead in ‘Hotel Reverie’.
It’s a web of connections that’s got some punters convinced the Duffer Brothers are gearing up for a surprise twist. Still, not everyone’s buying it. Martina Radwan, who directed One Last Adventure, was asked about the possibility of a ninth chapter. She replied,
“I can't confirm or deny anything, but no. You know, you have to ask the Duffers. I can't speak for them. But I wonder, is that wishful thinking, because people really want to get more? Like, they don't want it to be over? Which I understand.”
Streaming, Speculation, and What’s Next
Every episode of Stranger Things is available to stream now. If you’ve already powered through the lot and are scratching your head over the ending, there are breakdowns and reviews out there to help make sense of it all.
With 2026 shaping up to be a big year for telly, locals are already chatting about what’s next on the small screen. Whether it’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Wonder Man, Lanterns, Spider-Man: Noir, or VisionQuest, there’s no shortage of much-hyped shows on the horizon. But for now, the wild theories and cryptic clues around Stranger Things and Balatro are keeping the fandom busy.