Palworld has its next major update lined up. Pocketpair has announced Palworld: Side by Side, a new content update set to arrive this winter, and the only clue so far is a teaser image showing three mysterious figures standing together.
Pocketpair's head of publishing and communications, John "Bucky" Buckley, shared the teaser yesterday:
What The Teaser Shows
The teaser art features three blacked-out silhouettes against a glowing blue, pink and purple backdrop, with the Palworld: Side by Side logo and a Winter 2026 release window. The figure on the left has long, flowing hair, the one in the middle is holding a rifle, and the one on the right carries a sword with a sweeping hat or headpiece.
Pocketpair has not said who the three figures are, and the official announcement only tells players to stay tuned for details on what the new content will bring. The name Side by Side and the image of three characters standing together certainly suggest that companions or allies could play a part, but that is still unconfirmed.
It has also been pointed out that the update was revealed at the same time as the results of Palworld's latest fan poll, where the top three characters were Zoe, Auri and Saya. Whether those three are the figures in the teaser remains to be seen.
Popularity Poll Results
The official Palworld account announced Side by Side alongside the results of the Palworld Global Popularity Poll 2026:
The poll ran in September and covered more than 280 Pals and in-game characters, and Pocketpair says it drew even more votes than last year's edition. The top three in each category were:
- Pals: Sekhmet, Solenne and Chillet
- Characters: Zoe, Auri and Saya
Full rankings, including breakdowns by language, are available on the poll's official website. Pocketpair has also kept last year's results page online, so fans can compare how their favorites moved up or down the list over the past year.
The First Major Update After 1.0
Side by Side will be the first big content drop since Palworld left early access. Version 1.0 launched on July 10th, more than two years after the game's viral early access debut in January 2024.
The 1.0 release was massive. It added 72 new Pals, made up of 47 brand-new Pals and 25 variants, bringing the total to 287. It also introduced the floating island region of Sunreach, the World Tree at the heart of the story, Awakening and Mutation systems for strengthening Pals, seven new small islands, new settlements, reworked Wildlife Sanctuaries and major overhauls to base building, multiplayer and graphics.
Ahead of launch, Pocketpair said Palworld had passed 40 million players, and it kept the game at its $29.99 price point as a thank-you to fans.
The road to 1.0 was not entirely smooth. Pocketpair has been in a patent dispute with Nintendo and The Pokemon Company since 2024, and the studio made several gameplay changes along the way to work around Nintendo's claims. The full release still went ahead, and Pocketpair has kept supporting the game since, with Side by Side now marking the next step.
With that much content added over the summer, Side by Side has a lot to live up to, and Pocketpair has promised more details soon.
Release Window And Platforms
Palworld: Side by Side is set to launch this winter. No exact date has been shared yet. Palworld is available now on PC through Steam and the Microsoft Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One and Mac.
Do you think the three silhouettes are Zoe, Auri and Saya, or is Pocketpair teasing brand new characters for Side by Side?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.