Prepare yourselves, Palworld fans! Developer Pocketpair has officially revealed that its highly popular creature-collecting survival game will exit early access and launch its full 1.0 version in 2026. This monumental update promises a “truly massive amount of content.” In exciting related news, the studio also hinted at several new game titles currently being developed by smaller internal teams, even as the main focus remains on enhancing Palworld.
A Commitment to Polish: The Road to 1.0
The decision to hold Palworld’s 1.0 launch until 2026 stems from Pocketpair’s dedication to refining the existing game. The developer openly acknowledged that Palworld currently has “a lot of quirks and jank” and is prioritizing a thorough “cleanup” to address these issues before the official release. Their belief is that investing this time now will ultimately result in a significantly better and more polished game for everyone.
While 2025 might seem a bit quiet, Pocketpair assures fans that development is not slowing down—quite the opposite! They’re planning “a few surprises” for the Winter 2025 update, though it won’t be as substantial as the December 2024 Feybreak update. This period will be crucial for laying the groundwork for the expansive 1.0 release.
In a recent social media announcement, Pocketpair shared: “📢About Palworld Ver. 1.0. Hello everyone. Palworld will officially release (Ver. 1.0) in 2026. We are currently developing a massive amount of content for this milestone, and also planning some surprises for the rest of 2025.” The message accompanied an image, suggesting a video provided further insights into their plans.
What to Expect from Palworld 1.0
Pocketpair promises that Palworld’s 1.0 release will deliver an “unprecedented amount of content.” They emphasize that rushing this process would compromise quality, stating, “Rather than rushing it, we believe that laying the right foundation now will lead to a better game in the end.” Players can anticipate sneak peeks of this new content in the near future. It’s also worth noting that the price of Palworld, currently discounted from $30 to $22.50 until September 22nd, may increase closer to the 1.0 launch, as indicated in the game’s early access FAQ on Steam.
Beyond Palworld: New Projects on the Horizon
While Palworld continues to be Pocketpair’s flagship title, the company is actively expanding its horizons. “As the company grows, we continue to experiment with other ideas for games,” the developer revealed. Several smaller teams within Pocketpair are engaged in developing new game concepts, with hopes that these projects will evolve into full-fledged products. More details on these endeavors are expected soon. This initiative is distinct from Pocketpair’s recently established publishing division, which aims to support and promote games from other independent studios.
Palworld’s Eventful Journey So Far
Since its explosive launch in January 2024, Palworld has enjoyed immense success on Xbox and PC, significantly boosted by its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass. Despite achieving millions of sales and installs, its debut was quickly overshadowed by controversy. The game’s striking similarities to the Pokémon franchise led to plagiarism accusations and a subsequent lawsuit from The Pokémon Company and Nintendo, citing patent infringement rather than copyright. In response, Pocketpair implemented notable changes, such as modifying the monster-catching “Pal Spheres” and removing the ability to glide with Pals. Community manager John Buckley described the day the lawsuit was filed as “very depressing” for the studio. Palworld later expanded its reach, launching on PlayStation 5 in September 2024 and Mac in March 2025. Additionally, Pocketpair has forged a partnership with Sony for official Palworld merchandise.
The article included an image gallery showcasing various “Pals” from the game, titled “All Pals In Palworld.” These images provided a visual guide to the creatures players can encounter and capture in the game.