What you need to know
- Just over a week after Palworld developer Pocketpair shadow dropped the open-world survival RPG on PlayStation 5, it’s entered an agreement with a partner to bring it to mobile platforms.
- Specifically, Pocketpair is working with Krafton, the publisher behind the highly popular battle royale shooter PUBG: Battlegrounds.
- PUBG Studios — the PUBG developer under Krafton’s wing — will handle the process of making the mobile port. Notably, this team co-developed the mobile version of PUBG that released in 2018.
- It’s unclear how Nintendo’s looming lawsuit against Pocketpair for Palworld’s similarity to Pokémon will affect the mobile version’s development, though based on how the PS5 release was delayed indefinitely in Japan, it’s likely the mobile edition’s will be too as long as the suit is active.
As a seasoned analyst with a decade of experience in the gaming industry, I’ve witnessed numerous collaborations and acquisitions that have either been game-changers or disasters. This latest partnership between Pocketpair and Krafton, however, seems to be a promising move for both parties.
Approximately a week and a half following the surprise launch of the open-world creature collector RPG Palworld on PlayStation 5 during a State of Play broadcast, its creators Pocketpair have formed a partnership to bring the game to mobile devices. This collaboration is with Krafton, known as the publisher behind the long-standing hit battle royale shooter PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds: Battlegrounds, which was released in late 2017 and has maintained its popularity since then.
Earlier this Wednesday, Krafton announced in a press release that they have entered into an agreement to license a game. Moreover, they declared that PUBG Studios, the developers behind PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) and its mobile version launched in spring 2018, will manage the forthcoming adaptation of Palworld.
According to Krafton’s announcement, they intend to extend the Palworld intellectual property onto mobile devices. To ensure compatibility with the mobile platform, they plan to adapt and transfer key gameplay elements from the original version. The team responsible for this project is PUBG Studios, a creative unit owned by Krafton.
This new collaboration takes place just two weeks following Nintendo’s announcement of an intended lawsuit against Pocketpair for alleged patent violations, intending to safeguard the intellectual properties they’ve built up over time since many of Palworld’s “Pals” closely resemble Pokémon characters. Pocketpair countered a day later in their statement, expressing their commitment to their fans and ensuring that independent game developers are not unduly restricted or discouraged from exploring their innovative ideas.
Approximately two months after Krafton purchased Tango Gameworks and its popular rhythm-action game IP Hi-Fi Rush to prevent it from shutting down in August, comes this development. In May, Microsoft had announced their decision to close Tango Gameworks, along with Bethesda’s Arkane Austin and Alpha Dog Games, due to a change in their focus on certain projects and allocation of resources.
In a recent announcement, Krafton Inc brought on board the skilled professionals from Tango Gameworks as part of their company. This strategic decision grants them ownership over Tango Gameworks’ popular intellectual property, Hi-Fi RUSH. Under this agreement, Krafton plans to work closely with Xbox and ZeniMax, enabling the talented team to progress with the development of Hi-Fi RUSH and pursue new projects. Additionally, Krafton aims to provide continued support to Tango Gameworks, allowing them to maintain their dedication to innovation and delivering engaging experiences for fans.
Without a confirmed timeline for the mobile release of Palworld or details about the resolution of Nintendo’s ongoing lawsuit with Pocketpair, it remains uncertain how this legal dispute might impact the game’s development and distribution. However, it seems reasonable to expect that the release of Palworld in Japan could be postponed indefinitely as long as the litigation continues, since its PS5 launch in Japan appears to have been delayed due to this reason.
In the year 2024, Palworld is considered among the most anticipated games and is highly praised for its unique blend of Pokémon-style creature collection and open-world survival elements, featuring crafting, boss battles, and an abundance of firearms. Its debut in January was spectacular, shattering records as it surpassed 2 million simultaneous players on Steam and also set a new standard as the largest third-party launch for Xbox Game Pass, with more than 7 million total players exploring it that month across Xbox consoles and the Microsoft Store on Windows PC.
Ever since its debut, Palworld has been continuously enhanced and expanded by Pocketpair, introducing updates that include a new raid boss Bellanoir, an expansion-like update featuring a fresh island and new Pals, as well as numerous other adjustments, modifications, and additions. This game retails for $29.99 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC (available on both Steam and the Microsoft Store), and PS5. Alternatively, you can play it on Xbox or the Microsoft Store via Xbox Game Pass.
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2024-10-02 21:09