The developers behind Palworld, Pocketpair, openly admit to facing challenges finding staff members despite its booming success.
The company is currently spending a staggering half-million dollars each month to maintain Palworld’s servers, a good problem to have but an issue nonetheless.
Palworld, which surpassed 19 million players across Steam and Xbox by January 31, is a sure-fire hit. However, the studio is vocal about its need for more personnel to keep up with the demand.
パルワールドでは、まだまだやりたい事が沢山ありますが、仲間が圧倒的に足りておりません！！！
全職種 募集しておりますが、特に 企画・エンジニア を最も募集しております！
経験したエンジン等は問いませんので、全く新しいゲームづくりに興味がある方は、是非ご応募下さい！！ pic.twitter.com/xyJNuNhdWb
— パルワールド/Palworld 公式 (@Palworld_JP) February 8, 2024
Pocketpair’s call for additional staff was made public through its official Japanese account. The company is seeking individuals with experience to contribute to creating games. The translation of the tweet humorously reflects the studio’s dire need: “We are severely lacking in friends!”
Despite the playful wording, the message highlights a serious gap needed to sustain and expand Palworld’s ambitious gameplay and features.
The Japanese studio, while enjoying the commercial success of Palworld, is trying to navigate the complexities of integrating non-Japanese speakers into their development team, which is necessary now that Palworld continues to pull in millions of players every day on Steam and Xbox. The global pool of unemployed developers might offer a solution but onboarding new staff is a challenge. It takes weeks to months for new employees to become fully productive.
Palworld itself is a testament to Pocketpair’s ambition, offering a rich early access experience that could have been scaled down for quicker profits but wasn’t. The game features intricate boss battles, diverse tasks, and detailed mechanics beyond most early-access titles. This commitment to quality suggests Pocketpair is invested in the game’s long-term success.
Some have compared Pocketpair to other companies that reallocated their resources to focus on breakout hits, such as Epic Games with Fortnite. Pocketpair’s current situation, juggling three games in early access with another on the horizon, indicates a potential need to prioritize Palworld due to its success.
The gaming industry, driven by hits, rewards the focus on successful franchises, and Palworld appears to be Pocketpair’s best bet for sustained profitability.
Pocketpair’s acknowledgment of staffing shortages amidst Palworld’s success showcases the challenges faced by game developers in scaling operations to meet demand.
As the independent studio seeks to fill its ranks, Pocketpair’s ability to capitalize on its early success hinges on overcoming these hurdles, ensuring the game continues to thrive and evolve in a competitive market.
Fingers crossed, Pocketpair doesn’t sell itself to Microsoft or other video game companies. If it happens, we might never get a chance to see Palworld reach its full potential.
