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Palworld, since its release on January 19, 2024 as Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview has seen explosive popularity. What is this game, and why is it becoming so popular?
What is Palworld?
Palworld, is an action-adventure survival game by Japanese developer Pocket Pair. An open world populated with animal-like creatures known as "Pals", players can battle and capture Pals in order to use them for base building, traversal, and combat.
Like the developer's previous game Craftopia, it uses gameplay mechanics reminiscent of Minecraft and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but adds creature-collecting mechanics popularized by the Pokémon franchise.
Why is Palworld so Popular Right Now?
Players have been craving for a superior gaming experience other than the tried and tested formula of Pokémon games. The reception of this game has been explosive: The developers have recently shared that over 3 million copies in 40 hours since release and is currently the #1 The most played game in the world #1 The top selling game in the world at the same time.
Does Palworld Have Legs?
While it's still too early to tell as the game is still under development and the current game is not in its final state (though close), the reception of the game has been generally positive from critics such as IGN and players worldwide.
A fresh take on an online version of Pokémon with guns, Pocket Pair is based in Shinagawa, Tokyo and Palworld is their second early access open-world survival project, following Craftopia. Still "independent" by nature, Palworld's budget exceeded 1 billion Yen (over 6.75 million US Dollars) and added over 40 additional employees.
What Next?
At DotGG, we plan to start to cover Palworld! Keep an eye out for content including tier lists, guides, and more!
