Palworld initially seemed like a strange and obvious copy of Pokémon, but after its recent release, the game has broken sales records, selling millions of copies. This reflects the demand for a modern Pokémon-like game that the franchise’s developers have not provided.
The game, developed by Pocket Pair, a Japanese studio known for Craftworld, has exceeded sales expectations, selling over 5 million copies in the first week and reaching 1.5 million concurrent players on Steam. The game’s popularity has attracted attention from non-gamers as well, making it a major success for smaller developers.
Palworld’s concept is simple: players explore an island filled with Pals, creatures similar to Pokémon, and capture and deploy them for various tasks. The game’s mechanics borrow from several popular games, such as Valheim, V Rising, and Breath of the Wild, combining elements of survival, exploration, automation, and creature management. Despite its derivative nature and technical flaws, the game has proven to be fun and engaging.
Image Credits: Pocket Pair
One major point of contention is the similarity of some Pals to well-known Pokémon, leading to copyright concerns and debates on social media. Despite criticisms of the game’s derivative nature, it has attracted significant attention and has become a top-selling game on platforms like Steam.
Palworld Gains Momentum
Image Credits: Pocket Pair
Palworld’s success comes at a time when the Pokémon series is seen as stagnant, failing to innovate or evolve compared to other popular games. Despite its similarities to Pokémon, the game has attracted a significant number of players, sparking discussions about its perceived lack of originality.
As the popularity of Palworld grows, a mod transforming the game’s creatures into Pokémon equivalents is set to be released, further blurring the lines between the two franchises.
