Palworld
Pocketpair's OPEN-WORLD SURVIVAL CRAFTING game (early access Jan 2024, PC + Xbox) — capture, train, breed 100+ 'PALS' (creatures) using PAL SPHERES (Pokéball-like) then use them for combat, base building, farming, factory work. Instantly controversial for POKÉMON-like designs + gun-wielding gameplay + potentially exploitative labour mechanics. HUGE launch — 12M+ sales in first month; became one of Steam's fastest-selling games ever.
Quick facts
Category
Video Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–32
Duration
~3000 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇯🇵 Japan
Estimated origin
Released in Steam Early Access + Xbox Game Preview January 19, 2024 by Pocketpair. Sold 12M copies in 4 weeks; 25M+ Xbox Game Pass players. Nintendo sued Pocketpair September 2024 over patent infringement (ongoing).
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Explore, capture Pals, build base, fight bosses + Alphas + Legendaries, discover map, defeat Syndicate.
Rules
Basic rules
CAPTURE + TRAIN 100+ PALS — throw PAL SPHERES at wild creatures (progressively better tiers)
Signature Pal-capture mechanic.
PALS DO WORK: assign to base for lumbering, mining, farming, cooking, kindling, generating power, transporting
Signature Pal-labour mechanic.
CRAFTING + BASE BUILDING — build structures + machines to progress technology tree
Signature survival crafting.
COMBAT: hunt with weapons (bow, sword, guns, rocket launchers) alongside Pals; Pals fight autonomously or on command
Signature co-combat.
BREEDING: combine Pals to breed offspring with inherited stats + passive skills
Signature breeding system.
5 BOSS TOWERS + WORLD BOSSES + ALPHA PALS + LEGENDARY PALS — endgame content
Standard boss progression.
SYNDICATE (poachers) + PAL POLICE hostile factions in world
Signature faction conflict.
DEDICATED SERVERS + MODS on PC — extensive customisation
Standard PC modding.
Scoring
Pal Deck completion + boss defeats + achievement progression.
Win condition · Sandbox / achievement-driven; no single endpoint.
Equipment
PC (Windows via Steam) OR Xbox One/Series
Platforms.
Keyboard + mouse (PC) or controller (Xbox)
Standard controls.
Terminology
- Pal
- Captured creature — the game's namesake collectibles.
- Pal Sphere
- Capture device (Pokéball equivalent).
- Alpha Pal
- Enlarged, more powerful wild-boss version of standard Pals.
- Legendary Pal
- Rare unique Pal — apex of a species.
- Paldeck
- In-game Pokedex-equivalent tracking captures.
- Syndicate
- In-world hostile faction of poachers.
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Pocketpair (developer)
Founded 2015 · Tokyo, Japan
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Palworld— Wikipedia
- Palworld official— Pocketpair
- Steam — Palworld— Steam