Tencent could rival Palworld with its own ‘Pokemon’ gun game
It sounds like Palworld's idea of being "Pokemon with guns" has been taken to the Pokemon Breeding Center and is multiplying, as everyone wants a piece of Pocket Pair's success. While we were once sceptical about the idea of putting guns in the hands of some adorable critters, Palworld has massively exceeded expectations.
After entering early access in January 2024, Palworld soared to the top of Steam and ended up being a runaway hit for Xbox. Despite The Pokemon Company and Nintendo trying to scare Pocket Pair with legal threats, it's (so far) dodged a takedown. Now, others are threatening Pokemon's dominance.
Tencent is apparently working on its own Palworld(s)
Click to enlargeConsidering Palworld has attracted over 25 million players, it seems it's not just Nintendo that's been taking note. According to Bloomberg, two Tencent studios are currently working on Palworld-inspired games. Technically, it seems they're working on Pokemon-inspired games, but shush, don't tell Nintendo.
PUBG Mobile's Lightspeed and Pokemon: UNITE's TiMi are apparently working on projects. Lightspeed is reportedly working on games (note the plural) that include "open-world, survival and crafting elements with the nurture of virtual pets." The studio has supposedly reassigned devs from other titles to focus on this one.
Palworld has sparked interest in capitalising on the survival crafting genre, especially those with animal companions. With TiMi known for Call of Duty: Mobile, this one in particular has us taking note. TiMi is currently hiring developers, while there's a mention of "multiple" Tencent projects competing with each other
Give us Palworld mobile
Click to enlargeIf we were Pocket Pair, we'd be fast-tracking a mobile version of Palworld. We know it's not as easy as that, but seeing the OG ported to mobiles would be a win over having to play a Palworld-esque Tencent game that's filled with microtransactions.
Then again, Palworld was something of a storm in a teacup that has faced complaints that it's dropped off since release. It still regularly peaks at over 100,000 players, and with Pocket Pair promising a beefy roadmap of new features, it's sure to climb again. The question is, would this idea be as popular on mobile?
Tencent has reported a 2% dip in revenue, and as the mobile shifts its focus, the Palworld trend could be its golden goose against its biggest rival, NetEase. It's important to note that Tencent hasn't made anything official yet, but as Pokemon lies dormant ahead of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the vultures are circling.
