Helldivers 2 might have been the internet’s flavor of the past month or so, but before it, there was Palworld – a game that seamlessly blends the thrill of survival crafting with the charm of creature collection and a dash of human slavery.
Developed by Pocketpair, a modestly-sized studio that had never found itself under the mainstream spotlight until its release, Palworld has, so far, fascinated a combined total of more than 25 million players across Steam and Game Pass.
With a sales record of 15 million copies on Steam and an additional 10 million players on Xbox, it’s no surprise that Pocketpair’s CEO, Takuro Mizobe, is finding the game and its colossal profits somewhat overwhelming. The game, which playfully mixes Pokémon-inspired elements with a unique twist, was developed on a budget of less than ¥1 billion ($6.7 million) but has generated profits in the tens of billions of yen.
Despite Palworld‘s success, Pocketpair has expressed a desire to keep the studio small and focus on developing smaller games rather than stepping into the world of big-budget triple-A titles. Mizobe revealed to Bloomberg how he values innovation in game design, believing it’s easier to experiment with things at a smaller studio.
Given the financial success of Palworld, you can’t blame Pocketpair for sticking with its guns. Besides, it can now afford to pursue future projects without the pressure of external expectations.
This freedom to remain independent and prioritize multiplayer experiences that are fun and engaging remains at the core of Pocketpair’s philosophy even as Mizobe opens the studio up to acquisition talks and/or partnerships.
At a time when many video game companies find themselves cutting costs and laying off employees, Pocketpair has excessive cash flow, enough to throw an absurd amount of money to keep Palworld online at its peak. This would’ve been impossible to do had they partnered with another company with Palworld’s development, adding a layer of complexity to the CEO’s desire to fall under a larger umbrella.
To date, Palworld remains one of the more popular games on Steam and Xbox Series S or X, played by thousands worldwide. Its popularity is expected to skyrocket again when Pocketpair releases a new content update alongside a potential PlayStation 5 port.