Palworld has taken the gaming world by storm since its early access release on January 19th, 2024. The unique monster-collecting survival game has sold over 2 million copies on Steam and topped the charts on Xbox as well.
With its Pokémon-inspired creature collecting mechanics blended with crafting, farming, and even gunplay, Palworld offers an experience quite unlike anything else out there.
Naturally, PlayStation gamers have been wondering: will Palworld come to PS5?
Here is a comprehensive look at everything we know so far about a possible Palworld PS5 release:
Current Platform Availability
As of now, Palworld is only officially available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, and Xbox/PC Game Pass.
Sony’s PlayStation consoles are not supported. This is likely due to the fact that Sony does not allow early access to games on PS4 or PS5. As an early access title still in development, Palworld does not currently meet PlayStation’s requirements for certification and release.
Developer Stance on PS5 Version
According to the Palworld FAQ on the official Discord server, the developers at Pocketpair “do not have plans for this at the moment, but will consider it during development”.
So, while a PS5 port has not been ruled out, it is not something the small team is actively working on delivering yet. Understandably, their focus is on continuing to polish and improve Palworld through its early access period first.
Key Factors Supporting a Future PS5 Release
However, there are several promising signs that point to Palworld likely coming to PlayStation 5 in the future:
- Sony Interest: Shuhei Yoshida, head of PlayStation Indies, has expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of bringing Palworld to PlayStation platforms.
- Developer Resources: As a breakout hit generating huge revenue, Pocketpair will have the funding to expand their team and support additional platforms.
- Technical Feasibility: Palworld utilizes Unreal Engine 5, which fully supports PlayStation 5 development. There are no major technical hurdles to a PS5 port.
- Business Incentives: Releasing on additional platforms will grow Palworld’s audience and revenue. As early access development stabilizes, expanding to PlayStation makes good business sense.
So, while there is currently no ETA, many signs point to Palworld likely coming to PS5 once it transitions beyond early access to a full release.
What Would Palworld on PS5 Look Like?
Given the advanced capabilities of PS5 hardware and controllers, Palworld on PlayStation 5 would include:
- Enhanced graphicstaking advantage of the GPU power, ray tracing, and SSD storage for better assets.
- Faster loading timesthanks to the bleeding-edge SSD eliminating mechanical bottlenecks.
- Advanced haptics and triggerson the DualSense controller to make weapons and tools feel more immersive.
- Potentially PSVR 2 supportfor an even more engaging experience in this wild world.
Of course, as an online multiplayer game, it remains to be seen if Palworld on PS5 would get cross-play support with PC and Xbox. But with Sony warming up to cross-play in recent years, it is possible.
The Waiting Game
So, in a nutshell, while excited PlayStation fans will unfortunately need to wait and see, there is a strong chance the Palworld phenomenon could come to PS5 in the future once it leaves early access. The developer stance is positive, there are no major blocking issues, and the business incentives line up.
For now, the small Palworld team is focused on supporting the versions already in players’ hands and continuing to refine the game. But further down the road, it is easy to envision this wildly unique title making its way into PlayStation gamers’ libraries as well. We’ll be keeping an eye out for any official updates from Pocketpair on their PS5 plans as development progresses.