- Palworld has reached 19 million players across Steam and Xbox platforms less than two weeks after launch, becoming the biggest third-party launch in Xbox Game Pass history.
- The Pokémon-inspired monster catcher from developer Pocketpair has seen massive success despite bumps like accusations of copying Pokémon designs and cheating issues.
- Pocketpair is prioritizing bug fixes during Palworld’s Early Access period and plans to use player feedback to polish the experience leading up to version 1.0.
Palworld has reached a new player milestone less than two weeks after launch. The Pokémon-inspired monster catcher from Pocketpair has attracted over 19 million players across Steam and Xbox platforms.
Pocketpair Shares the Latest Numbers
Pocketpair announced the new player count on Twitter, breaking down the numbers across Steam and Xbox Game Pass. On Steam alone, Palworld has pulled in 12 million players at its $29.99 price point. Xbox Game Pass accounts for another 7 million.
Microsoft Calls It the Biggest Third-Party Launch
Microsoft shared its own congratulations in an Xbox Wire post, crowning Palworld the biggest third-party launch in Game Pass history. It’s also the most-played third-party day one release on Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Developers Prioritize Bug Fixes in Early Access
Despite the massive success, Palworld remains in Early Access on its road to version 1.0. Pocketpair says its top priority right now is squashing bugs. The studio plans to use player feedback during this period to polish the experience across all platforms.
The Road Hasn’t Been Smooth
While milestone player numbers are impressive, Palworld’s journey has seen some significant bumps. Accusations of copying Pokémon designs have led to threats from The Pokémon Company. Cheating and fake mobile releases have also tarnished the launch.
What’s Next for the Surprise Hit?
As Palworld steams toward 20 million players, the big question is what comes next. Cross-play support is high on the request list, and Xbox promises engineering support for optimizations. For Pocketpair, it’s full speed ahead to version 1.0.
