“Development on Palworld is not slowing down or scaling back, quite the opposite” — Pocketpair teases v1.0 and the World Tree

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Pocketpair released a new video update about Palworld today. Though presented as a general game update, it revealed a lot about the future of the game. Despite a current legal issue with Nintendo regarding patents, the team is working hard on the 1.0 version, and they’ve confirmed a major update – a journey to the World Tree – is planned for 2026. This is exciting news, especially for dedicated fans like my son who asks about it every day!

While the official video didn’t mention it, a recent Twitter conversation confirmed the World Tree will be available when Palworld officially launches with version 1.0. Someone directly asked Pocketpair’s Communications Director, Bucky, about its release, and his response was a simple, definitive “yes.”

It’s one word, but it gets the people going!

A look back before the big leap forward

The video features Bucky from Pocketpair looking back at Palworld’s journey since its popular release into Early Access and on Xbox Game Pass in January 2024.

Palworld quickly became a hit, selling 5 million copies in just three days and becoming the biggest third-party launch ever on Game Pass. At its peak, over 2.1 million people were playing the game simultaneously on Steam.

Since its successful launch, the game has received several updates, which are detailed in the video.

  • 0.2: Raids, which quickly became a fan favorite.
  • 0.3: Sakurajima, the first new island, plus new Pals and quality-of-life improvements.
  • 0.4: Feybreak, a huge landmass with a new faction, Pals, and fresh mechanics.
  • 0.5: Crossplay, finally uniting players across all platforms.
  • 0.6: Tides of Terraria, the much-anticipated collab, alongside even more quality-of-life updates.

It’s remarkable how much content Pocketpair has added in less than two years. Now, instead of adding more new features like islands or groups, the developers plan to focus on fixing bugs and improving the overall quality of the game. This is to ensure a smooth and polished experience when it officially launches beyond Early Access.

1.0 is the goal — and it’s coming in 2026

The Palworld 1.0 launch is currently scheduled for 2026. While updates will continue, they won’t come as frequently as they did with the recent Feybreak patch. That said, players can still look forward to some unexpected additions. Pocketpair wants to assure everyone that development isn’t slowing down at all – in fact, they’re planning even bigger things for the game.

As a huge fan, I’m so excited they’re finally adding the World Tree! It’s been talked about forever and visible on the horizon since the game first came out. I even messaged Bucky on Twitter about a physical copy, and he hinted that it *might* happen. Now I’m keeping my fingers crossed that, because the game’s doing so well on Xbox Game Pass, they don’t skip a physical Xbox release like they did with Blue Prince. I’d love to add it to my collection!

Pocketpair Publishing and beyond

The video also highlighted Pocketpair’s plans to become a major game publisher. Building on the success of Palworld, they recently launched Pocketpair Publishing to support other developers with funding, marketing, and distribution. They’re currently working with teams globally, but won’t be creating their own games under this new publishing label. So far, they’ve helped release indie titles like Dead Take (with Surgent Studios) and Truckful (from Mythic Owl), and recently announced a unique pixel-art fishing game called ‘Normal Fishing’ – which, based on the trailer, is anything but ordinary.

Inside Pocketpair, smaller teams are working on new ideas and prototypes, even as most of the company focuses on Palworld. Despite the potential lawsuit from Nintendo, the developers seem confident and are going all-in on the game. The upcoming version 1.0 isn’t just a typical update – it looks like a major step forward.

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2025-09-16 15:10