Palworld, touted as ‘Pokémon with guns,’ has achieved unprecedented success, becoming the most-played game on Steam and selling over five million copies in just three days. However, the game’s popularity is accompanied by controversies, including accusations of Pokémon design similarities and server struggles.
Palworld, the ‘Pokémon with guns’ survival and crafting game, experienced an extraordinary surge in success over the weekend, skyrocketing to the top of Steam’s most-played games list and surpassing Cyberpunk 2077’s peak concurrent player count. Launched on January 19 in early access on Steam, Xbox, and Windows PC with Game Pass, Palworld has become the sixth game ever to reach one million concurrent players on Steam.
Setting multiple records on Steam, Palworld is now the most-played Japanese-developed game and the second most-played paid game ever on the platform. Despite its availability on Game Pass, the game’s sales reached an impressive five million copies in just three days, with 86,000 copies sold per hour, outpacing notable titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man, God of War, and The Last of Us 2 in the same timeframe.
While Palworld’s success is undeniable, it hasn’t been without controversy. Critics have raised concerns about the similarities between Palworld’s creatures, called Pals, and Pokémon, leading to accusations of design imitation. Additionally, the Xbox version lags behind the Steam version in updates, and the game’s massive launch has strained its servers.
Despite criticisms, Palworld’s popularity remains unparalleled, highlighting the immense appeal of the multiplayer monster-collecting game. As the game continues to gain traction, it will be interesting to see how Pocketpair, the small Tokyo-based developer behind Palworld, addresses both the acclaim and the challenges that accompany the game’s explosive success.
