Palworld kicked off 2024 with a bang, becoming near-instantly viral on launch, as millions of players flocked in to experience its edgy interpretation of the popular monster-catching game genre. But despite this success, developer Pocketpair is seemingly remaining cautious.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Palworld creator Takuro Mizobe said that while the game’s development team is enthusiastic about its success, there are no plans for the studio to significantly grow or change, due to its popularity. Rather, Pocketpair aims to remain small and tightly-knit.
“We are and will remain a small studio,” Mizobe said. “I want to make multiple small games. Big-budget triple-A games are not for us.”
Pocketpair is currently an “intimate” team of around 55 people, and it will stay that way into the future. While Palworld earned the company “tens of billions of yen in profit” on a ¥1 billion (AUD $10 million) budget, this money is wisely being treated with respect.
Read: Palworld developer isn’t worried about declining player base
Rather than using it to take the company public or spending it on expensive resources or staff expansion, Mizobe told Bloomberg that it doesn’t have major plans. The money is reportedly “too big for a studio with our size to handle” according to Mizobe.
By choosing not to spend frivolously, the future of Pocketpair seems to be assured.
Mizobe isn’t sure the company can create a massive hit like Palworld again – which achieved popularity on the strength of its tweaks to the Pokemon formula – but with the money from this hit, Pocketpair’s work can continue.
In future, the team will develop new games with small scopes and opportunity for rewarding multiplayer experiences, likely with the independence afforded by Palworld‘s profits.
“Games are most fun when playing with friends,” Mizobe told Bloomberg. “A game without a multiplayer mode just doesn’t feel right in the era we live today.” We look forward to seeing what Pocketpair does next.
