New survival sensation Palworld, which earned the nickname “Pokémon with guns,” has taken the darn internet by storm. Though its popularity is complicated by clear similarities to that other monster-catching game, many are finding absolute joy in its gameplay. That gameplay is due for some evolution itself in the near future.
Palworld developer Pocketpair has released a straightforward roadmap laying out what changes are coming to 2024’s runaway hit. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for you and your pals.
New features coming to Palworld
According to Palworld’s roadmap, three key features expected to arrive in future updates include player vs player (PvP) functionality, allowing players to fight each other, as well PvP for the Pokémon-like creatures themselves, called Pals. The game’s raids will also see bosses added at a later date. Pocketpair will also add “new islands, Pals, Bosses, and Technologies” as well.
In addition to the in-game features, crossplay and transfer features across Steam and Xbox are expected to arrive as well. Before the game gains any new functionality, however, the devs are focusing on “critical issues,” such as fixing bugs and dealing with cheaters.
’Critical issues’ come first
According to a post on Steam regarding Palworld’s future updates, Pocketpair has identified issues concerning “excessive access congestion” as a result of the game’s popularity. The developer stated that this is a priority for the team. Fixes for some other issues have already arrived, such as problems regarding in-game world time reading incorrectly and issues with loading screens continuing to display even after loading was complete. That’s in addition to “countermeasures” taken against cheating players.
These issues are in addition to Pal AI updates which are expected to be rolled out as soon as possible.
Pal AI remains a sore spot for the community
In the Reddit thread announcing the roadmap, some of the top upvoted comments concern issues with Pal behavior. “I throw my dumud at a mine spot, it says he’s assigned, he fuacks off to mine normal rocks,” reads one popular comment. “Pal AI and pathing is huuuuge tired of my pals getting stuck on top of things 😂” reads another.
Palworld’s skyrocketing success is surprising even given the appeal some find in the concept of “Pokémon with guns.” For those who are enjoying the game in spite (or because) of its similarities to other properties , Pocketpair’s quick communication and fixes seem like a great sign for the health of this Early Access title.
