Palworld

Table of Contents

 Palworld is an open-world survival game developed by the Japanese studio Pocketpair. Since its early access launch in January 2024, it has become a viral sensation, combining creature collection, crafting, and combat with dark humor. The game is available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. 

Gameplay features

Palworld places players on the Palpagos Islands, where they can capture and utilize creatures called "Pals". Key gameplay elements include: 

• Creature collection: Over 100 unique Pals inhabit the open world, each with distinct skills for combat, traversal, and base tasks.
• Survival and crafting: Players must gather resources and build a base to survive a harsh environment. Pals can be assigned to different tasks, such as crafting items or farming crops.
• Combat: The game mixes third-person shooting with creature abilities, allowing players to use weapons like bows and assault rifles alongside their Pals.
• Automation: Pals can be assigned to factories to automate production, streamlining the base-building process.
• Multiplayer: Up to 32 players can join a single server for cooperative or competitive gameplay. As of March 2025, cross-platform play is supported across all platforms. 

Key events and updates

• Launch and massive success (2024): The game's early access debut led to it being one of Steam's most-played titles, with over 15 million copies sold on Steam and 10 million players on Xbox by February.
• Viral nickname: The game quickly gained the nickname "Pokémon with guns" due to its mix of monster collecting and firearm combat.
• Feybreak Island update (December 2024): This major update added new Pals and a new island.
• Terraria collaboration (Mid-2025): The "Tides of Terraria" crossover update in July 2025 introduced a new dungeon, raid boss, weapons, and armor.
• Full release planned for 2026: Pocketpair has announced that it plans to exit early access and release the 1.0 version of the game in 2026, with a focus on bug fixes throughout the remainder of 2025. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Performance and outlook

• Player count decline: While the game saw massive initial player numbers, its concurrent player count on Steam dropped significantly over 2024, stabilizing by mid-2025. However, Pocketpair continues to reassure the community that the game is healthy.
• Ongoing updates: The developers have a clear roadmap for 2025, with plans for a true endgame scenario, PvP, and raid bosses.
• Legal challenges: In September 2024, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair.
• Positive reception: The game has maintained largely positive reviews for its blend of gameplay styles, humor, and depth, though some critics note its unoriginal designs and reliance on shock value.