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When Palworld launched for PS5 a few days ago, it notably skipped Japan, prompting many to speculate that Nintendo's influence was behind the absence of a Japanese release. However, the game made its way to Japanese PS5 consoles today, less than two weeks after its global launch.
While some pundits and analysts rushed to predict that Nintendo’s recent lawsuit would have dire consequences for developer PocketPair, the Tokyo-based studio seems unfazed and is continuing its operations as usual.
Today, PocketPair announced the Japanese PS5 release via their official Discord server, and the game is now available on the Japanese PlayStation Store. Local players have responded positively, giving the game an impressive rating of 4.87 out of 5 stars, with 93% of 4,685 players awarding it five stars.
The developer issued an apology for the delay and pledged to continue delivering "large-scale and exciting updates" for the PS5 version to enhance players' enjoyment.
Palworld is currently available on PC, Xbox, and PS5, as well as through Game Pass. Since it's still in early access, the developers have been consistently updating the game, adding new content and improving the experience.
Recently, PocketPair addressed rumors of a potential shift to a free-to-play model, reassuring fans that no such change is planned. However, they are considering releasing skins and DLC in the future to support ongoing development.
I bought it on PS5, I'm about 20-25 hours in. I love it! I get that it's early access, and that it has some problems, but man the gameplay loop is a blast! I love exploring, capturing, and the way battling works. I totally understand why Nintendo is suing. The game isn't perfect, but it's a lot more fun that the archaic turn-based action we've had from Nintendo for the last nearly 30 years.
Last thought, I don't understand how they can patent a game mechanic. Let's look at another game mechanic: Call of Duty's die and respawn in a multiplayer match. Respawning is a game mechanic. How come Activision hasn't tried to patent this and stop other FPS games…