Palworld Surpasses 40 Million Players Ahead of 1.0 Launch

Palworld has hit a massive player milestone 2.5 years after its early access debut, just as the 1.0 release approaches. Developer Pocketpair announced that the game has surpassed 40 million players, with the full 1.0 version set to launch on July 10 (check out the global release times for Palworld's 1.0 launch to know when you can jump in).

That 40 million figure doesn't necessarily mean Palworld has sold 40 million copies. While it's undeniably a sales success, especially on Steam, the game is also available on console subscription services. It's still on Game Pass, for instance (Microsoft highlighted the Palworld 1.0 launch as part of its July 2026 wave one Game Pass lineup announcement this week).

Palworld's early access period has been a rollercoaster since its launch in January 2024, breaking sales and concurrent player records. Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe noted that the launch was so massive the developer struggled to manage the huge profits. Still, the studio moved quickly to capitalize on Palworld's breakout success, striking a deal with Sony to form a new business called Palworld Entertainment, tasked with expanding the IP. It later released the game on PS5.

After Palworld's explosive launch, comparisons to Pokémon's Pals sparked accusations that Pocketpair had copied Pokémon designs. However, instead of filing a copyright infringement lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company pursued a patent route. In the initial lawsuit, they demanded 5 million yen (around $30,000) each plus late payment damages, along with an injunction to block Palworld's release. A verdict is expected later this year.

In a social media post today, Pocketpair thanked fans for their support. "Thank you all so much for your incredible support!" the Japanese studio said. "Over the last 2.5 years, Palworld has grown alongside our community."

As for Palworld 1.0, John "Bucky" Buckley, head of publishing and communications at Pocketpair, has teased 27 pages of patch notes with changes and additions. Bucky also told existing players they don't have to wipe their data for 1.0, "but you should."

"Players can continue their existing saves if they wish, as we want to respect the time and effort you have put in," Bucky explained in a Discord post. "However, due to the large number of changes to the game, including overhauls to mechanics and new content, we believe that starting a new character will give you the best experience of Palworld! We will leave that choice up to you, Pal Tamers!"