Palworld
News, coverage and analysis tracking Palworld across the outlets.
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Yahtzee is still out there being mean about videogames, and good for him
This article discusses Yahtzee Croshaw's continued work in videogame criticism through his YouTube series, Fully Ramblomatic. It highlights his particular brand of witty, often negative, commentary as a sign of deep care for the medium, noting how his well-observed praise for games like South Park: The Stick of Truth stands out amidst his critiques.
Weekend Console Download Deals for Oct. 9: PlayStation Player's Choice sale
This weekend's console deals include PlayStation's Player's Choice sale featuring titles like Saros and Marathon, Xbox Game Pass deals with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and Nintendo Switch discounts on indie games from the Triple-I Initiative Showcase. PlayStation Plus members can also claim F1 25, Hunt: Showdown 1896, and Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 for free.
Palworld's cursed dating sim is a "little goofy thing" and not a proper spin-off, Pocketpair lead says: "I would only consider Palfarm the true spin-off"
Pocketpair's head of communications, John Buckley, clarified that only Palfarm is considered a true spin-off of Palworld, while other upcoming projects like 'More Than Just Pals' are described as 'little goofy things.' Buckley emphasized that these projects have fundamentally different gameplay compared to the original Palworld.
Respawn Monday #18 - RuneScape: Dragonwilds Is a Slow Burn — Too Much Gaming | Video Games Reviews, News, & Guides
The author finds RuneScape: Dragonwilds to be a slow burn, particularly on its Hard mode, contrasting it with the immediate appeal of Palworld's 1.0 release. While acknowledging the game's satisfying challenge and robust survival mechanics, the lack of fast travel and the risk associated with long journeys make progress feel arduous. Despite these concerns, the game is recognized as a successful early access title, joining a strong lineup of recent survival games like Enshrouded and Valheim.
15 New Games Launching in October 2026
October 2026 is set to be a massive month for game releases, featuring 15 new titles across various genres and platforms. Highlights include anticipated sequels like Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve and Gears of War: E-Day, alongside new entries in established franchises such as Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen and Final Fantasy Resonance. The month also offers a diverse range of experiences from puzzle adventures like Order of the Sinking Star to simulation titles like Planet Zoo 2 and action-packed shooters like Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2.
Weekend PC Download Deals for Oct. 2: Steam Autumn Sale and friends
The annual Steam Autumn Sale has begun, offering discounts on a wide range of PC games, including recent releases and older titles. Several other digital storefronts like GOG.com, Epic Games Store, and Fanatical are also hosting their own autumn sales, providing various deals and free games.
Featuring a host of our favorite games from this year and 2 of our favorite gaming devices, you can now place your votes for the best in gaming in the Golden Joystick Awards 2026
The nominations for the 44th annual Golden Joystick Awards 2026 have been announced, with games like Resident Evil Requiem, Big Walk, and 007 First Light receiving multiple nods across 21 categories. Voting is open until October 23, and the winners will be revealed on November 11. This year's nominations are noted for their diversity, featuring both indie hits and AAA blockbusters.
Betawatch: World of Warcraft Forever gets the beta explosion as Aion 2 cracks its doors open a bit
The beta for World of Warcraft Forever has launched with high player numbers, while Aion 2 has opened its doors for testing. The article also provides updates on State of Decay 3's development under an indie Undead Labs and Guild Wars 2's upcoming WvW map test. It serves as a weekly roundup of MMOs in various testing phases, including open betas, closed betas, and early access.
Palworld becoming the best-reviewed Steam game of 2026 is "nothing short of miraculous," says Pocketpair lead
Pocketpair's lead John Buckley expressed astonishment that Palworld has become the highest-rated game of 2026 on Steam, calling the player reception to its 1.0 update
Even after Palworld 1.0, Pocketpair lead says 2026's best indie could be this Overwhelmingly Positive Steam roguelike citybuilder: "I haven't played a game more addictive since Balatro"
Pocketpair's John Buckley highly recommends the indie citybuilder '100% Combolands,' calling it the best indie game of the year and more addictive than 'Balatro.' Developed by a two-person team, Crux Games, '100% Combolands' is a roguelike citybuilder praised for its strategic depth and satisfying gameplay loop, earning an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' rating on Steam.
Palworld lead says survival game genre has "found its stride" with the likes of Valheim 1.0 and Dune: Awakening after being "plagued with 100 hit or miss games a year"
John Buckley, head of publishing at Pocketpair, believes the survival game genre has matured significantly, moving past a period of inconsistent releases. He highlights recent successful titles like Valheim, Dune: Awakening, and Palworld as evidence of the genre finding its stride.
Wardogs' rise proves hardcore shooters are back. Escape from Tarkov's Nikita Buyanov knows why.
Hardcore first-person shooter games are experiencing a resurgence, with titles like Wardogs and the 1.0 release of Escape from Tarkov topping sales charts. Nikita Buyanov, Game Director at Battlestate Games, attributes this trend to an aging gamer population seeking more intelligent and complex experiences that mirror real-life problem-solving. This shift indicates a potential move away from repetitive sequels and simple live-service models towards games that demand greater player investment and tactical depth.
After Palworld and Valheim, more than half of Steam's top 10 best-rated 2026 releases are early access survivors…
Despite player cynicism towards the early access model, six of Steam's top 10 best-rated releases for 2026 are games that graduated from early access to a 1.0 launch. Titles like Palworld and Valheim, alongside others such as Scrap Mechanic and Timberborn, have achieved high ratings, demonstrating the continued success and viability of the early access development process.
Pocketpair’s cozy-looking Palworld Palfarm isn’t going to be like Stardew Valley, actually
Pocketpair communications lead John Buckley clarified that Palworld: Palfarm, a cozy farming sim spinoff, will differ from expectations and is not a "Palworld Stardew Valley." While it will lean into the cozier side of the IP with a "tongue-in-cheek" Palworld feel, it is still in development and more details are forthcoming.
Yet another Pokémon-inspired game is popping off on Steam, with over 160,000 concurrent players for Aniimo
Aniimo, a Pokémon-inspired open-world RPG, has surpassed 160,000 concurrent players on Steam, making it the second most-played game of its kind behind Palworld. While praised for its creature-collecting elements, the game faces criticism for its monetization tactics, similar to Genshin Impact.
Palworld lead thought one of Pocketpair's most iconic Pals would "fade into the background" before it unexpectedly became the survival game's "mascot"
John Buckley, head of communications at Pocketpair, expressed surprise at the unexpected popularity of the Pal 'Cattiva' in Palworld, which has become the game's unofficial mascot. While he was confident in other early Pals like Lamball, he initially believed Cattiva and Chikipi would fade into the background. Cattiva's widespread recognition, particularly in China, highlights regional differences in Pal popularity.
Palworld devs have "a graveyard" containing "hundreds" of scrapped Pals, but there was one design everyone at Pocketpair knew would be a hit
Pocketpair's John Buckley discussed the extensive process of designing creatures for Palworld, revealing that hundreds of Pal concepts are discarded. He highlighted Sekhmet as the fastest Pal to go from concept to completion due to overwhelmingly positive internal reception.
Palworld Palfarm is less like Stardew Valley than you might expect, lead says, but it "is more on the cozier…
Pocketpair's John Buckley clarified that Palworld: Palfarm is not a direct comparison to Stardew Valley, describing it as cozier and less violent than the base Palworld game. While details are scarce, Buckley emphasized that Palfarm will be visually appealing and retain a "tongue-in-cheek" Palworld feel, aiming to surprise players.
As Wardogs hits a "perfectly acceptable decline," studio boss asks players what they want to change: "Remember, we're in charge here, we're the ones with the vision"
Despite Wardogs' player count declining from its peak, developer Bulkhead is seeking player feedback on issues and design decisions for future updates. CEO Joe Brammer emphasized that the studio retains creative control while encouraging community input, though some players have offered humorous or trivial suggestions.
Free-to-play Pokemon and Palworld-like Aniimo launches to "Mixed" Steam reviews: "It's very much a…
The free-to-play creature collector Aniimo, developed by Pawprint Studio, has launched on PC and consoles to a "Mixed" reception on Steam. While praised for its cute visuals and comparisons to Palworld and Infinity Nikki, many negative reviews cite aggressive monetization, predatory gacha mechanics, and pay-to-win elements as significant drawbacks.
