Palworld thrives as live service: PocketPair's winning strategy

Palworld CEO Takuro Mizobe recently shared insights about the game's future roadmap in an interview with ASCII Japan, discussing the potential transformation of the creature-collection shooter into a live service title and addressing player expectations.

PocketPair CEO Explores Live Service Transition Possibilities

A Promising Yet Complex Business Decision

In his discussion with ASCII Japan, Mizobe revealed that Palworld's development team hasn't finalized plans regarding its business model. While confirming plans to expand content with new maps, additional Pals, and raid bosses, Mizobe outlined two potential paths forward.

"We're considering either completing Palworld as a traditional buy-to-play package or transitioning to a live-service model," Mizobe explained. The CEO contrasted the one-time purchase B2P approach with the ongoing content updates and monetization typical of live-service games.

"From a business standpoint, adopting live service could generate sustained revenue and extend the game's lifecycle," Mizobe noted. However, he acknowledged technical challenges since Palworld wasn't originally designed for this model.

The CEO emphasized player preferences as a crucial factor: "The fundamental question is whether our community wants this change. Successful transitions usually involve games that launched as free-to-play, unlike Palworld's current B2P structure."

Mizobe cited examples like PUBG and Fall Guys that successfully converted to F2P models years after launch, but cautioned that such transitions require careful planning and substantial time.

"We're currently exploring various approaches to maintain player engagement," Mizobe added. Regarding alternative monetization methods like advertising, he expressed skepticism: "PC gamers typically reject intrusive ads, making this approach particularly challenging."

Palworld remains in early access, recently introducing its Sakurajima update and PvP arena mode as development continues. The team continues evaluating the optimal path forward while gathering player feedback.