Palworld, a survival and adventure game made by Japanese developer Pocket Pair, has climbed its way to become the third biggest game on Steam.
This feat comes just three days after its release, surpassing the likes of big names such as DOTA 2, Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring.
The game has already raked in over five million in sales, with an estimated 1.5 million concurrent players and counting, as per the gaming company's tracker.
In comparison, DOTA 2 currently has 1.3 million, while Lost Ark and CyberPunk have 1.33 million and 1.05 million, respectively.
What Is Palworld?
The game, which many have described as "Pokémon with guns," is characterized by two primary components.
First, players engage in constructing a home base and overseeing a group of Pal workers responsible for managing the production of essential supplies and equipment.
The second aspect involves exploring an expansive world filled with bosses and dungeons, with the objective of "Collecting All of Them," as per Nintendo-approved terminology.
The game is designed for multiplayer interaction, allowing multiple Pal trainers to establish bases within the same world for collaborative efforts or conflicts.
Despite not boasting top-tier visuals, being developed in Unreal 5 significantly enhances its appearance and performance compared to recent Game Freak Pokémon titles, such as Scarlet and Violet.
Netizens Compare Palworld to Pokémon
Several users on X have brought to light the new game's similarities with Nintendo's franchise, primarily with its character designs.
User @Taqqy_3 created a thread pointing out the shared characteristics between characters from both franchises, with the design of Pokémon's Cinderace being the most blatantly "plagiarized."
Pokémon and Palworld: Inspiration vs. Plagiarism from someone who made monster tamer designs a majority of her personality a thread.🧵 (1/19) pic.twitter.com/13bxpuJn9Y
— Taq (@Taqqy_3) January 21, 2024
Meanwhile, fans of both Palworld and Pokémon have already managed to create modifications (mods) of the game that includes various Pokémon characters.
YouTuber Toasted shared a video featuring beloved characters Pikachu, Torchic, the iconic Ash Ketchum, and more in the newly made mod.
Palworld already has a Pokemon mod
— Toasted (@ToastedShoes) January 22, 2024
Full video on my YouTube tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/X1ohT6mJiT
While the game's longevity remains uncertain just three days into its release, Palworld's swift rise in popularity begs the question of whether or not it is capable of sustaining its current player base.
Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang