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.