Palworld boss teases a Pokenightmare with potential Switch release
If we were the Palworld team over at Pocket Pair, we'd probably be doing everything in our power to stop ourselves from being compared to Pokemon. While the joke of Palworld being "Pokemon with guns" started as a funny one, it soon changed when Nintendo and The Pokemon Company's legal teams took note.
Despite accusations of straight-up ripping off Pokemon designs, Palworld seems to have flown just close enough to the Sun to get singed but not burned alive. As the open-world monster-catcher looks to its future, the boss of Palworld is already eyeing up a potential Nintendo Switch release.
Palworld boss teases multi-platform release
Click to enlargeIt's easy to forget that Palworld is actually only in its early access period. With that in mind, Pocket Pair CEO Takuro Mizobe is trying to ensure the game is more than just a quick fad. In an interview with Bloomberg, Mizobe confirmed he's in discussions about a multi-platform release.
Although Mizobe didn't directly name these platforms, we assume they're PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Then again, with constant rumours of a PS5 Pro and Switch successor, Palworld could find a new home on their souped-up successors.
Interestingly, Mizobe said that Pocket Pair would be open to acquisition but downplayed the idea of it becoming a Microsoft-exclusive studio. He concluded, "We are and will remain a small studio. I want to make multiple small games. Big-budget triple-A games are not for us." Still, we're not sure everything is adding up here.
Palworld's Switch release doesn't make any sense
Click to enlargeWhile we're sure Switch players would love to take Palworld on the move and get their hands on this more adult version of Pokemon, it doesn't make financial sense for Nintendo. The gaming giant was pretty vocal about Palworld being a knock-off Pokemon and seemingly threatened legal action.
As Nintendo owns 33% of The Pokemon Company, it would be shooting itself in the foot to bring a rival to its own systems. Then again, money is money and we know we aren't getting a new Pokemon game in 2024. With Pokemon Legends: Z-A on the way in 2025, there's a Poke-shaped void in our lives.
PlayStation has seen great success with Helldivers 2, and alongside Palworld, the pair have been a surprise hit that got 2024 off to a flying start. It likely won't be long until PlayStation players are packing their bags for the Palpagos Islands, but for now, we don't think the game arriving on the Switch stands an Eiscue's chance in hell.
