Japanese game developer Pocketpair’s online multiplayer game, “Palworld,” called “Pokémon with guns,” has witnessed unprecedented success, selling five million copies within three days of its launch. The game, combining multiplayer monster-collecting with open-world survival elements, has garnered attention for its unique gameplay despite criticism for similarities to Pokémon in creature design.
Palworld allows players, known as “pal-tamers,” to navigate a large map where they battle with human foes and creatures called “pals.” These pals can be captured and recruited to fight alongside players or work at a base, crafting supplies and items for use in the game. The unexpected popularity of the game led to server crashes, causing challenges for players attempting to log in.
At its peak, Palworld reported nearly 1.3 million concurrent players on Steam, showcasing its widespread appeal. The surge in interest prompted an emergency meeting by the development team to address early connection issues.
Palworld’s success is notable for Pocketpair, a relatively small developer with previous games that didn’t achieve such explosive popularity. The game’s sales outpaced major titles like “The Last of Us Part Two,” making it one of the fastest-selling games.
Despite its commercial success, Palworld faced criticism for its character design, accused of resembling Pokémon, and its gameplay, which draws comparisons to survival games like Rust and Ark: Survival. However, reviewers and fans appreciated the graphics, resulting in a “very positive” user rating on Steam based on 40,000 reviews.
Palworld was launched in “early access,” allowing players to experience the game before its final release and providing developers with an opportunity to gather funds for further refinement. The developers acknowledged the influx of support inquiries and reported being aware of serious bugs in the game, promising to share information about fixes soon.
The success of Palworld highlights the genre’s immense popularity and demonstrates the potential for innovative combinations of gaming concepts to captivate a broad audience.
