Palworld Dev Reveals What's Coming in Future Updates

Palworld is getting PvP, raid bosses, and new islands in future updates, developer Pocketpair has said.

Pocketpair unveiled Palworld’s roadmap of future updates, confirming plans to target critical issues before moving on to improvements.

Palworld’s huge launch has seen seven million sales in just five days. In a post on the Palworld Discord, community manager Bucky said those sales “have far exceeded the development team's expectations, and we are currently experiencing many problems due to excessive access congestion, among other challenges.”

Pocketpair said it will prioritise these issues first before moving on to adding new in-game features during the early access period. Speaking of new in-game features, Palworld will get PvP, including PvP for Pals, raid bosses, crossplay between Steam and Xbox (presumably this will up the co-op player count on Xbox at the same time), as well as improvements to the building system. In the shorter term, Pocketpair plans improvements to base Pal AI and pathing.

Here’s the list:

[Early Access Roadmap]

・Addressing Critical Issues

・Currently, numerous bugs have been identified, and we are prioritizing fixing those.

　・Sometimes, the world date may experience rollbacks.

　・The loading screen may persist when trying to load into worlds.

・Improvements to Implement ASAP

　・Key configuration improvements.

　・Improvements to base Pal AI and pathing.

・Planned Future Updates

　・PvP

　・Raid Bosses (End-Game Content)

　・Pal Arena (PvP for Pals)

　・Steam-Xbox Crossplay

　・Various Xbox Feature Improvements

　・Server Transfers and Migrations

　・Improvements to the Building System

　・New islands, Pals, Bosses, and Technologies.

While Palworld is already one of the biggest game launches ever, it’s also one of the most controversial. Pocketpair has said its staff have received death threats amid Pokémon "rip-off" claims, and Nintendo has moved quickly to remove an eye-catching Pokémon mod.

IGN’s early access review of Palworld on Steam returned an 8/10. We said: “Palworld may crib quite a bit from Pokémon’s homework, but deep survival mechanics and a hilarious attitude make it hard to put down – even in Early Access.”

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Super Metroid Original Soundtrack Recreated on Vinyl is Up for Preorder (and On Sale)

For vinyl collectors and Super Metroid fans, this is a preorder that's well worth checking out. From Jammin' Sam Miller, this is a Full HD recreation of Super Metroid's original soundtrack on vinyl. This double LP is currently available to preorder for $39.99 (down from the MSRP of $45.99) and also features some incredible artwork on the cover that's worth showing off in your vinyl collection.

It's set to release on February 16 this year, so you won't have to wait too long to get your hands on it, either. Head to the link below to preorder your copy today.

Super Metroid Original Soundtrack Recreated on Vinyl is Up for Preorder

On the topic of vinyls that are up for preorder at the moment, you can also preorder the Cyberpunk 2077 Radio Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 vinyls for $29.98 each. These records are bright yellow and both feature a wide variety of artists on them -- playing the latest and greatest hits from Night City's top radio stations, of course -- and are set to release on April 26 this year. If you recently got back into Cyberpunk following its 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty expansion, then this is a very fun investment for you.

Alongside these, there are some other preorders that are worth keeping on your radar for the months ahead. Outside of music, there are some upcoming Blu-ray and 4K releases that are worth checking out. In particular, the Se7en 4K UHD and Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Edition and "What's In The Box?" Special Edition are available to preorder, with a release date of May 3, and there are quite a few video games up for preorder at the moment, including the highly-anticipated Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and Persona 3 Reload, amongst many others.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.

Palworld’s Incredible Launch Continues, Sells Over 7 Million in Just 5 Days

Palworld’s explosive launch shows no sign of slowing down, with the ‘Pokémon with guns’ crafting and survival game selling another million copies in a day.

According to developer Pocketpair, Palworld has now sold over seven million copies in just five days.

“Thank you very much!!” a tweet from the developer read. “We continue to be hard at work addressing the issues and bugs some users are experiencing.

“Thanks for your support!”

The Game Awards boss Geoff Keighley tweeted to say he had confirmed with Pocketpair that the seven million sold figure is for Steam sales only, and so does not include Xbox and Windows PC sales. It’s worth noting Palworld launched day-and-date on Game Pass, too.

“That translates into approximately $189 million USD in Steam sales in 5 days,” Keighley added.

It’s an incredible result for Pocketpair, whose game has dominated the video game community since going on sale on January 19.

Yesterday, January 23, Palworld posted an incredible 1,864,421 peak concurrent players on Steam, a figure that saw it overtake Valve’s own Counter-Strike in Steam’s all-time most-played games list.

Palworld is second only to PUBG, whose remarkable Steam concurrents peak of 3,257,248 was set during the game’s glory days amid the battle royale boom, and is unlikely to be topped.

While Palworld is already one of the biggest game launches ever, it’s also one of the most controversial. Pocketpair has said its staff have received death threats amid Pokémon "rip-off" claims, and Nintendo has moved quickly to remove an eye-catching Pokémon mod. Palworld’s enormous launch has seen its servers struggle, too.

IGN’s early access review of Palworld on Steam returned an 8/10. We said: “Palworld may crib quite a bit from Pokémon’s homework, but deep survival mechanics and a hilarious attitude make it hard to put down – even in Early Access.”

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Last of Us Part 2 Has Dropped to Just $20 at Walmart, For Now

Here's the scenerio: you don't own a copy of The Last of Us Part 2, but you fancy checking it out now it's gotten a few new improvements with its 'Remastered' re-release on the PS5 (such as DualSense support, Lost Levels, or the new No Return roguelike mode). Problem is, for new buyers it still costs $49.99 MSRP. While it's not quite the $70 price tag that was first attached the The Last of Us Part 1 PS5 release, it's still a hefty cost to consider.

But have no fear, as there is a solution—for now at least. Your best bet is to jump on the upgrade path; if you own the PS4 version of The Last of Us Part 2 (digital or physical), you can get a digital copy of the remaster for $10. So all you need to do is find a relatively cheap copy of The Last of Us Part 2. There's plenty of options online or in second-hand stores, but, if you'd prefer a quick an easy option, Walmart now has the game back in stock for just $20 (see here).

If you buy a physical copy of the PS4 version, you must insert the PS4 disc every single time you want to play the remastered on your PS5. It's a minor headache, but spending $30 vs $50 is a reasonable saving for those new to the series who are looking to play the remaster. For all-digital owners, we're afraid you're out of luck this time.

The only other caveat is that retailers like Walmart and Best Buy are starting to become a little adverse to carry physical copies of games. Therefore, at a $20 pricepoint, there's a high likelyhood the game will sell out. If you want a physical copy of The Last of Us Part 2, we'd suggest picking it up ASAP.

"The Last of Us Part 2 is a masterpiece that evolves the gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and rich world design of the original in nearly every way," Jonathon Dornbush wrote in his 10/10 review of the original PS4 release.

In his latest PlayStation Beyond column, Simon Cardy also wrote: "Two of PlayStation’s big hitters have recently dipped their toes into the roguelike waters, albeit with different philosophies driving them.

"The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered’s No Return plants its feet firmly in the camp of “gameplay is king”, offering a showcase for its tense stealth combat with no narrative dressing."

"God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla, on the other hand, is a much more story-focused experience, and one that I gained a lot more satisfaction from as a result. That’s not to say Naughty Dog’s attempts are by any means bad – I’ve enjoyed a good few hours playing No Return - but for me, there’s only one clear winner here, and he has a big beard and a massive axe."

Other gaming and tech deals to consider right now include Amazon and Best Buy offering big savings on the Hisense U7K 4K QLED Mini-LED Smart TV, alongside a big $50 off the Lenovo Legion Go handheld PC, or even $189 for the latest Apple AirPods Pro model.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Modder Who Put Pokémon Into Palword Says 'Nintendo Has Come for Me'

The modder who put Pokémon into Palword has claimed “Nintendo has come for me” after a takedown of a tweet.

Creator Toasted Shoes took to X/Twitter to tease a Palworld mod with a clip showing Pokémon’s Ash Ketchum in place of the player character, as well as famous Pokémon such as Pikachu replacing Palworld’s Pals.

Palworld is a crafting and survival game dubbed 'Pokémon with guns'. It features monsters called Pals, which some people have said “rip off” Pokémon.

Nintendo has come for me, please leave me in your thoughts and prayers pic.twitter.com/HGg65y67Qp

— Toasted (@ToastedShoes) January 23, 2024

Palworld developer Pocketpair has insisted Palworld is more akin to survival crafting games such as Ark Survival Evolved and Valheim than Pokemon, but that hasn’t stopped people from continuing to hit out at the game.

Within 24 hours of Toasted Shoes’ tweet going live it was hauled offline by an apparant Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown from Nintendo, which publishes the Pokémon video games.

Speaking to IGN, Toasted Shoes said he still plans to publish the full video showcasing the mod, but will comply with any further copyright notices from Nintendo. “We would love to complete the mod pack and release it for free to the public, however for now we are playing it by ear as we don't want any legal troubles,” Toasted Shoes said.

Debate has raged online about whether Nintendo or The Pokémon Company will take legal action over Palworld. CEO of developer Pocketpair, Takuro Mizobe, told Automaton that Palworld had cleared legal reviews, and insisted there has been no action taken against it by other companies.

“We make our games very seriously, and we have absolutely no intention of infringing upon the intellectual property of other companies,” Mizobe said.

A Nintendo representative told Bloomberg that the company is aware of Palworld, but declined to comment on individual cases. The Pokémon Company has yet to comment.

Don McGowan, who led the Pokémon Company’s legal team for almost 12 years, told Game File: “This looks like the usual rip off nonsense that I would see a thousand times a year when I was Chief Legal Officer of Pokémon.”

Palworld has now sold an astonishing six million copies in just four days, with an eye-watering 1.7 million peak concurrent player count.

All eyes are on Nintendo and The Pokémon Company to see if the companies take some sort of legal action against Palworld, which is also available on Xbox and Windows PC as a day-one Game Pass title secured by Microsoft.

Perhaps in a bid to avoid any potential issues with Nintendo, mod site Nexus Mods appears to be removing any Pokémon-related mods for Palworld from its site.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Palworld Devs Says They Have Received Death Threats Amid Pokémon 'Rip-Off' Claims

Amid the explosive launch of Palworld, its developers have taken to social media to say they have received death threats.

Last week, IGN reported on how Palworld, aka ‘Pokémon with guns’, had sparked a vociferous debate online about whether it had “ripped-off” Nintendo’s famous franchise.

Some Pokémon fans say Palworld’s Pals are too similar to Pokémon, with a number of social media posts that place Pals next to Pokémon going viral.

Palworld developer Pocketpair has insisted Palworld is more akin to survival crafting games such as Ark Survival Evolved and Valheim than Pokemon, but that hasn’t stopped people from continuing to hit out at the game.

Pocketpair community manager Bucky, who has been active on Twitter / X and Palworld’s Discord, posted to say they had received death threats since the game went live in early access form on January 19.

“Frantically working through all my DMs and emails! I promise!” Bucky said. “However, you'll excuse me if I skip over the death threats, threats to the company and massively outlandish claims.

“If you're capable of writing like an actual human being though, I'll reply asap!”

Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe also tweeted to say they had received death threats, and hit out at “slanderous comments”.

“Currently, we are receiving slanderous comments against our artists, and we are seeing tweets that appear to be death threats,” Mizobe said.

“I have received a variety of opinions regarding Palworld, but all productions related to Palworld are supervised by multiple people, including myself, and I am responsible for the production.

“I would appreciate it if you would refrain from slandering the artists involved in Palworld.”

In a new interview published by Automaton, Mizobe addressed the question of potential legal issues surrounding Palworld’s release and its likeness to Pokémon. According to the site, Mizobe said Palworld cleared legal reviews, and insisted there has been no action taken against it by other companies.

Mizobe said: “We make our games very seriously, and we have absolutely no intention of infringing upon the intellectual property of other companies.”

Last year, a new survey from the Game Developers Conference revealed a majority of game developers see harassment from players as a major problem for the industry. Of the 2,300 developers surveyed, 91% said player harassment and toxicity towards developers was an issue. 42% said it's a "very serious" issue.

While Palworld is a clear smash hit, it is not without controversy. The Xbox version continues to lag behind the Steam version in terms of key features and updates, and Palworld’s enormous launch has seen its servers struggle, too.

Check out IGN’s Palworld Early Access Review in Progress to find out what we thought.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Director Explains Why Less Fast Travel Can be a Good Thing

Fast travel is a contentious issue within open world games. Make it too easy, and you risk trivializing the world; make it too hard, and players may find travel tedious. Weighing in on the debate, Dragon’s Dogma 2 director Hideaki Itsuno explained why he is keen to avoid the former, preferring that players travel normally and experience the world around them.

“Just give it a try. Travel is boring? That's not true. It's only an issue because your game is boring. All you have to do is make travel fun,” Itsuno told IGN in a new interview, part of our the exclusive month-long IGN First coverage of Dragon’s Dogma 2. “That's why you place things in the right location for players to discover, or come up with enemy appearance methods that create different experiences each time, or force players into blind situations where they don't know whether it's safe or not ten meters in front of them.”

“We've put a lot of work into designing a game where you can stumble across someone and something will happen, so while it's fine if it does have fast travel, we decided to design the kind of map where players will make the decision for themselves to travel by bike or on foot in order to enjoy the journey.”

Dragon's Dogma 2 and its predecessor are unique in that they don't allow unrestricted fast travel. Both games require expensive and rare Ferrystones to teleport to designated Port Crystals. Dragon's Dogma 2 also adds Oxcarts that allow travel only along specific paths, with the caveat that you may be ambushed along those routes.

In adding the Oxcarts, Itsuno says the goal wasn’t to make a “simple method of safe transportation.” Instead, he sees it as an additive way to build out Dragon’s Dogma 2’s world.

Travel is boring? That's not true. It's only an issue because your game is boring

“While riding one, you might find the path blocked by goblins and have no choice but to get off and join the battle. Then as you do, a Griffin might swoop in and destroy the entire cart with one blow, forcing you to walk the rest of the way while cursing its name,” Itsuno explains. “But none of that has been set up by us in advance. Instead, Griffins naturally have an inclination toward attacking cows they discover as they move, and these pieces all just happen to work together to naturally create the situation. So yes, an oxcart ride in this world may be cheap, but a lot can come as a result of that cheapness. I think that's the kind of world we've managed to create.”

Kento Kinoshita, who was a key developer of the original Dragon's Dogma, throws out a few more examples designed to reveal how reactive the sequel’s world can be. “Say you were trying to cross a bridge, but some goblin went and destroyed it. So then you decide to walk along a different path, only to run into a peddler who's on some task who you can buy from, or save, or who has a camp where you can regroup. When I say the game gives players a lot of space to think for themselves, this is what I mean.”

Fast travel has been criticized in other games for essentially turning open worlds into a series of loading screens. As a result, some games have sought to approach the feature differently, or even do away with it entirely only to bring it back for a sequel. Itsuno does say that he ultimately likes fast travel as a feature, saying “it’s convenient and it’s good.” However, he also feels that distance is an important part of Dragon’s Dogma 2, which is why the team ultimately opted to restrict fast travel.

Kinoshita adds, “I guess we wanted there to be a cost to shortening a long distance. In a way, that strongly mirrors the real world too. There are a lot of rules in real life that are needed to make a system possible, and ignoring those rules makes things seem less realistic, or less valuable.”

We’ll see how Dragon’s Dogma 2’s unique approach to fast travel pans out when it releases on March 22 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S. In the meantime, check out our ongoing IGN First coverage, including our in-depth look at the character creator and more.

Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.