Palworld is the new buzzword in the gaming arena lately. It is an action-adventure survival game by Japanese developer Pocket Pair. The game has become an overnight sensation by securing the top spot on Steam’s most-played games list, leaving big names such as Cyberpunk 2077 and PUBG behind.
The game’s unique mix of creature companionship in a rugged, weaponised world has struck a chord with players, with nearly 1.3 million concurrent users on Steam alone. Palworld not only claims the title of the most-played game on the platform, but also becomes the most-played Japanese-developed game on Steam, surpassing the much-anticipated Elden Ring.
Palworld’s success story is impressive, with over five million copies sold in just three days. This sales milestone outshines popular titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man and The Last of Us 2. However, the game hasn’t been without its share of controversies.
Critics and fans have raised concerns about the similarities between Palworld’s Pals and the iconic Pokémon, sparking debates on social media about creativity and originality in game development. Players on Xbox have also noticed differences in updates and features compared to the Steam version, and server issues have made managing the game’s unexpected popularity challenging.
The game is situated in an open world teeming with animal-like creatures referred to as “Pals.” Players have the ability to engage in battles and capture Pals to utilise them for activities such as construction, traversal, and combat. Palworld offers the option of playing either independently or online with a maximum of 32 players on a single server.
Palworld was launched on January 19th, 2024, debuting on Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview (accessible with Game Pass from day one), with plans for it to stay on these platforms for a minimum of one year.
