Palworld Guide for the Confused

It's Pokémon, it's Rust, it's ARK, it's Breath of the Wild, it's Genshin Impact, it's Monster Hunter, it's Elden Ring, it's… okay, let's start over: If the term Palworld keeps popping up around you and you have no idea what it means, this article should help. While this isn't an in-depth review, the goal is to share some basic information so you're better prepared when the inevitable request from children, nephews, or younger siblings to buy a copy on Steam arrives…

What is Palworld?

A new open-world survival game developed by the Japanese studio Pocket Pair. Its initial announcement dates back to June 2021, and on January 19 it debuted on Xbox Game Preview and Steam under Early Access. It's estimated that the game will remain in early access for at least a year, receiving all kinds of updates to go beyond a Pokémon with weapons concept.

Pokémon with weapons?

That's the phrase many outlets and players used as a generic description of Palworld, but Pocket Pair CEO Takuro Mizobe has said the game's essence is inspired by Ark: Survival Evolved and Rust, while the Dragon Quest franchise served as a reference for the creatures. It also carries certain components that instantly remind us of Breath of the Wild and Genshin Impact. Unsurprisingly, its design is highly controversial.

Controversial? Why?

On one hand, the main accusation is that Palworld stole from Pokémon. The internet went into 'detective mode,' and forums are filling with images comparing the 'Pals' to some official Pokémon. Pocket Pair says it cleared all legal hurdles, but The Pokémon Company has already confirmed that it will "investigate and take action" if necessary. Personally, I think Grizzbolt is basically Totoro disguised as Pikachu with an M61 cannon and a psychopath's face.

On the other hand, several publications talk about 'slavery' (you can capture Pals and NPCs), 'slave labor,' and 'animal abuse' as part of the game's mechanics. In addition to buying and selling Pals, players can dismember their creatures to obtain resources, or use them as workers in their base, assigning a work intensity level (if it's too high, they might end up injured). Obviously, humans don't fare much better. Palworld features a criminal syndicate, a Pal liberation movement, and something akin to a security agency, all potential enemies.

How popular is it?

1.26 million players on Steam at the time of writing, with peaks exceeding two million concurrent players, making it the second game to hit that mark (the first was PUBG). Palworld sold eight million copies in six days.