One of this year’s most surprising successes is Palworld, developed by the relatively small studio Pocketpair. Dubbed “Pokemon with guns,” the game has garnered significant attention, particularly due to its inclusion on Game Pass, leading to extensive Xbox marketing efforts.
However, despite this exposure, there are no plans for Microsoft to acquire Pocketpair, according to CEO Takuro Mizobe, who stated that no discussions have taken place with the company.
In a conversation with Bloomberg, Mizobe discussed the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired or partnering with other companies. While open to these prospects, he clarified that formal talks have not been initiated.
Instead, Pocketpair’s focus remains on maintaining its small size—currently consisting of 55 employees—and exploring potential new platforms for Palworld. While PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch are logical destinations, no concrete plans have been disclosed.
“We are and will remain a small studio,” Mizobe emphasized. “I want to create multiple small games. Big-budget, AAA games are not our forte.” Mizobe revealed that Palworld was developed with a budget of less than $6.7 million, a fraction of the reported budgets for titles like The Last of Us Part II and Horizon Forbidden West.
In just one month, Palworld amassed an impressive player base of 25 million, with Steam accounting for 15 million copies sold at $30 each. Additionally, Palworld achieved a milestone of over 2 million concurrent players on Steam, marking it as only the second game ever to reach this remarkable feat.
Looking ahead, Mizobe acknowledges that Pocketpair may never replicate the success of Palworld with future releases. Nevertheless, he believes in adhering to a fundamental principle: “Games are most enjoyable when played with friends,” Mizobe asserted. “A game lacking a multiplayer mode feels out of place in today’s gaming landscape.”