[Discussion] Palworld on PlayStation: What We Know So Far and Future Implications

[Uncrowned Guard]

PlayStation Version for Palworld Teased

Pocketpair community chief Bucky has teased the release of a PlayStation version for the popular game Palworld, currently available on PC via Steam and Xbox. His tweet added blue-colored hearts, the color of PlayStation branding, to Palworld’s existing black (PC), green (Xbox), and white (Mac) hearts. This is seen as a strong hint towards a possible PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 release for the game. Palworld, also known as 'Pokémon with Guns,’ gained instant popularity upon its early access release in January 2024, becoming one of the biggest game launches of all time.

Controversy Surrounding Palworld’s Resemblance to Pokémon

Despite its widespread popularity, the game has also been mired in controversy due to its apparent likeness to the popular franchise Pokémon. This has led to Nintendo taking action to remove a visually similar Pokémon mod shortly after Palworld's release, with The Pokémon Company declaring it would "investigate and take appropriate measures" to deal with potential intellectual property infringements related to Pokémon. While Pocketpair has denied the allegations of cloning, the controversy has not subsided, with the developer's staff reportedly receiving death threats due to the "rip-off" claims.

New Major Update and Future Prospects

Palworld is set to receive a major update this week, named Sakurajima. This includes increasing the game's level cap, addition of new Pals, a new raid, a new faction and boss, as well as a new island. This update also brings with it Xbox-dedicated servers, a feature that had been conspicuously missing up until now. Although player numbers have dwindled over the last six months, a potential PS5 release could significantly boost the popularity and player base of Palworld. However, whether Nintendo would approve a release on Switch amid the ongoing controversy remains uncertain.

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