Palworld Won't Answer the Question 'What's Beyond AAA?'

Palworld's Unexpected Path: From Massive Success to Indie Focus

Pocketpair, the creators of the wildly successful Palworld, have amassed significant profits, potentially enough to fund a "beyond AAA" title. However, CEO Takuro Mizobe has confirmed the studio's intention to remain focused on indie game development.

Palworld's Financial Triumph and Strategic Decision

Mizobe revealed in a GameSpark interview that Palworld's sales are in the "tens of billions of yen" – a substantial sum. Despite this windfall, he believes Pocketpair lacks the organizational structure to handle a project of the scale that their current resources would allow. Instead of pursuing a massive AAA title, Mizobe prefers to remain in the indie space, leveraging the success of Palworld to fuel future, smaller-scale projects. He emphasized the current favorable conditions for indie game development, including improved game engines and a supportive community.

Mizobe stated that the studio’s growth is largely thanks to the indie game community, and they aim to give back by continuing to create within that space. He highlighted the challenges of creating a hit AAA game, contrasting them with the opportunities presented by the thriving indie game market.

Expanding the Palworld Universe

Instead of expanding their team or upgrading facilities, Pocketpair plans to focus on expanding the Palworld IP into various mediums. The early access game continues to receive significant updates, including a recent PvP arena and a new island in the Sakurajima update. Furthermore, a partnership with Sony has resulted in the formation of Palworld Entertainment, dedicated to global licensing and merchandising. This strategic approach allows Pocketpair to leverage their success while remaining true to their indie ethos.