Palworld Version 1.0 Launch Adds 72 Pals, Rebalance, and New Late-Game Region
Palworld has officially left early access behind this week, and the jump to version 1.0 is packed with so many changes that Pocketpair’s publishing lead, John Buckley, said the full patch notes couldn’t fit into a single update post.
Version 1.0 brings 72 brand-new pals, a new late-game region, a broad rebalance, high-tech weaponry, water-based bases, and a long list of quality-of-life improvements. The overall result has been a major turnaround for the studio: reviews reportedly climbed into the 94–96 percent positive range, and the open-ended survival sandbox finally feels complete now that players can access the World Tree. Buckley’s team also points to a bigger headline than just “a successful launch”—after roughly two and a half years, the game is back on top.
Over the weekend, Palworld also posted a strong live-services-style performance, reaching a 24-hour peak of more than 725,000 concurrent players. That put it among Steam’s most played titles. At the time of writing, it’s sitting comfortably in second place on the charts, trailing only Valve’s Counter-Strike 2.
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It’s still impressive to see Palworld remain such a consistent force on Steam years after release. In 2024, many players and observers framed it as a viral “flash in the pan,” largely because its “Pokémon with guns” hook felt like something that might fade once the initial novelty wore off—especially after moments like “Pikachu with an AK” became the headline joke. Version 1.0, however, suggests the game’s appeal is sticking around. Even with legal pressure that led to changes to summoning mechanics tied to Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, and with newer updates removing some of the most obvious inspirations, the player base has continued to expand and keep the title high on the charts.
Part of that momentum is also supported by how Pocketpair is handling pricing. The studio isn’t increasing the early access cost, and it’s currently running a 30 percent discount to encourage new players to jump in.
Palworld’s success isn’t limited to the main game, either. Pocketpair has an official trading card game in motion with a planned release date of July 30, and it has already moved more than 3.5 million packs. Hands-on coverage of the TCG—done in collaboration with Bushiroad—described it as a “genuine challenger” in the category, with “loads to enjoy.” Importantly, it isn’t just a straightforward re-skin of other card games. Instead, it stays surprisingly true to Palworld’s open-world survival loop: players can gather resources and build bases, not only battle each other. The card system spans five distinct card types, and the game starts players with a roster of 50 pals.
With both a widely successful trading card game and the 1.0 launch currently driving Palworld’s chart dominance alongside strong review sentiment, the takeaway is simple: Palworld looks positioned to remain a long-term presence rather than a passing trend.
