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

Pocketpair, the developer behind the wildly successful Palworld, has amassed considerable profits, potentially enabling them to create a game exceeding AAA standards. However, CEO Takuro Mizobe has revealed a different strategic path for the studio. This article delves into his reasoning.

Pocketpair's Focus: Indie Games and Community Support

Palworld's phenomenal success has generated tens of billions of yen in revenue for Pocketpair (tens of millions of USD). Despite this windfall, Mizobe clarified that the studio isn't structured to handle a project of the scale that their current financial resources would allow. He emphasized that they lack the organizational maturity for such a large-scale undertaking.

Mizobe explained that Palworld's development was funded by profits from previous titles, Craftopia and Overdungeon. This time, however, he's chosen a different approach, opting against immediately leveraging the substantial profits to create a massive AAA title.

"Developing our next game based on these proceeds would not only exceed AAA scale, but it would also outstrip our organizational capabilities," Mizobe stated. He prefers to focus on projects that are "interesting as indie games," prioritizing smaller-scale development.

Mizobe highlighted the challenges of AAA game development, citing the increasing difficulty of creating a hit title with a large team. He contrasted this with the flourishing indie game market, where improved game engines and industry conditions facilitate global success without massive teams. Pocketpair's growth is largely attributed to the indie community, and the company intends to reciprocate this support.

Expanding Palworld's Reach

Mizobe previously stated that Pocketpair won't be expanding its team or upgrading its facilities. Instead, the focus is on expanding the Palworld IP through various mediums.

Palworld, currently in early access, has received positive feedback for its engaging gameplay and consistent updates, including the recently added PvP arena and a new island in the Sakurajima update. Furthermore, Pocketpair has established Palworld Entertainment in partnership with Sony to manage global licensing and merchandising.