Pocketpair, the developer behind the popular game Palworld, has firmly dismissed any speculation about transitioning to a Free to Play (F2P) or Games-as-a-Service (GaaS) model. This announcement follows recent discussions about the future of the creature-catcher survival game.
Palworld Not Changing to Free-to-Play (F2P) Model
Palworld DLC and Skins Being Considered to Support Development
"Regarding the Future of Palworld TL;DR – We are not changing our game’s business model, it will remain buy-to-play and not f2p or GaaS," the Palworld team declared via a statement on Twitter (X). This clarification came after reports surfaced about Pocketpair exploring various future strategies for the game, including the possibility of adopting a live service and F2P model.
Pocketpair further elaborated on their ongoing internal discussions, aiming to chart the best course for Palworld's long-term success. "At that time, we were still considering the best way forward for Palworld to create a long-lasting game that continues to grow," their statement continued. "We are still discussing this internally, as it is quite challenging to find the ideal path, but we have already decided that the F2P/GaaS approach is not suitable for us."
The studio emphasized its commitment to the player community, stating, "Palworld was never designed with that model in mind, and it would require too much work to adapt the game at this point. Additionally, we are very aware that this just isn't what our players want, and we always put our players first."
Pocketpair remains dedicated to enhancing Palworld to its fullest potential and extended an apology for any confusion caused by the earlier reports. "We apologize for any concern this may have caused, and we hope this clarifies our position. Thank you for your continued support of Palworld," they concluded.
In a recent interview with ASCII Japan, Palworld CEO Takuro Mizobe shared insights into future plans for the game. However, the studio clarified that the interview took place "several months ago." Mizobe had mentioned intentions to "update [Palworld] with new content," promising additions like new Pals and raid bosses. In their latest statement, the studio revealed they are "considering skins and DLC for Palworld in future as a means to support development, but we will discuss this with you all again as we get closer to that point."
In other news, a PS5 version of Palworld was reportedly listed among the titles set to be announced at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2024 (TGS 2024). According to news site Gematsu, this list from Japan's Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) should not be considered a "definitive" source for potential announcements.
