Palworld Live Service: PocketPair's Top Choice

Palworld CEO Takuro Mizobe shares insights on the future of Palworld in an interview with ASCII Japan, exploring the potential of transitioning the popular creature-catcher shooter into a live service game and addressing the expectations of Palworld fans.

Pocketpair CEO Weighs in on Turning Palworld Into a Live Service Game

It's Good for Business, but Definitely Challenging

In a recent interview with ASCII Japan, Palworld CEO Takuro Mizobe discussed the potential future of Palworld, contemplating whether to transform it into a live service game. When asked about upcoming developments, Mizobe stated that no final decisions have been made yet.

"We will definitely continue to update Palworld with new content," he assured, with plans from Pocketpair to introduce a new map, additional Pals, and raid bosses to keep the game engaging. "However, we are considering two paths for Palworld's future," Mizobe added.

"Either we finalize Palworld as a complete 'packaged' buy-to-play (B2P) game, or we transition it into a live service game, also known as LiveOps," Mizobe explained. B2P games are purchased once and offer full access, whereas live service models, or games-as-a-service, generate revenue through ongoing content releases.

"From a business standpoint, transforming Palworld into a live service game could increase profitability and extend the game's life," Mizobe acknowledged. However, he pointed out that Palworld was not initially designed with a live service model in mind, "so it would certainly pose significant challenges if we chose that path."

Mizobe also emphasized the importance of considering fan appeal for a live service model. "The critical factor is whether our players want it," he stated. "Typically, a game needs to be free-to-play (F2P) to successfully adopt a live service model, with subsequent paid content like skins and battle passes. But since Palworld is a one-time purchase (B2P), converting it into a live service game presents difficulties."

He highlighted successful transitions to F2P by games like PUBG and Fall Guys, "but it took years for them to make that shift successfully. While I recognize the business benefits of a live service model, the transition is far from straightforward."

Currently, Pocketpair is focused on increasing Palworld's appeal and retaining its player base, Mizobe said. "We've been advised on implementing ad monetization, but it's challenging to integrate unless it's a mobile game," he noted, adding that he couldn't think of successful examples of ad monetization in PC games. He further observed, "Even if it could work for a PC game, Steam users tend to react negatively to ads. There's significant backlash when ads are introduced."

"Therefore, we are carefully evaluating which direction Palworld should take," Mizobe concluded. At present, Palworld remains in early access, having recently rolled out its largest update, Sakurajima, and introduced the much-anticipated PvP arena mode.