Trigger-happy Pokémon-alike Palworld passes 5 million sales and 1.2 million concurrent Steam users

A large yellow electric Pal stands with outstretched arms

(Image credit: Pocketpair)

Palworld, the violent yet charming third-person open-world Pokémon-alike from developer Pocketpair, has been going from strength to strength lately, garnering impressive numbers of players and sales.

Despite only being in early access, Palworld has peaked at a huge 1.2 million concurrent Steam players, according to Steamdb. Palworld's official Twitter account also stated that the survival game has sold over five million copies since early access started.

#Palworld has sold over 5 million copies in only 3 days!Thank you soooo much!In addition, thank you for all the illustrations on #PalworldArt and videos on #PalClips from all over the world!Please leave a review if you've been enjoying your time in Palworld!#Pocketpair pic.twitter.com/wyq5HlNDHZJanuary 22, 2024

The Palworld Twitter account also erroneously stated that the title has the highest concurrent player record of any paid game on Steam. While its hefty figure of 1.2 million does surpass both sci-fi RPG Cyberpunk 2077 and dark fantasy action game Elden Ring, battle royale trailblazer PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (now known as PUBG: Battlegrounds) amassed over three million concurrent users before going free-to-play in 2022.

The Twitter account has since posted an apology, claiming that the team wasn't aware that PUBG had previously smashed the record.

Our apologies, we were unaware that PUBG previously obtained the record before becoming a f2p game.Again, our apologies for this misunderstanding. https://t.co/r1YeN2Bed5January 22, 2024

The title's popularity has presented challenges for the small developer, too. Server outages are causing significant issues for players, as demand for Palworld continues to surpass the capacity of the game's servers and network infrastructure.

"We are currently working hard to resolve the server outages and other serious issues that are occurring for some players," said a recent Tweet. "We apologize for any inconvenience caused. As soon as there is further news, we will send it out on X [formerly Twitter] and our official Discord."

With survival action reminiscent of Ark: Survival Evolved, Palworld has you work alongside a world full of colorful monsters called 'Pals,' having you build factories and farms. As the game's Steam page puts it: "Letting Pals do the work is the key to automation. Build a factory, place a Pal in it, and they'll keep working as long as they're fed—until they're dead, that is."

While a bit on the edgy side, Palworld offers a coherent survival experience with colorful visuals and a distinctive premise. Early access is available on Steam for PC as well as Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Xbox Game Pass.

Looking for more intriguing titles? Check out our lists of the best Xbox Series X games and the best Steam games.

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An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.