Palworld's highly anticipated PvP mode finally has a name: Pal Arena. And while we don't have an exact release date, Pocketpair confirmed it will arrive in 2024.
A brief teaser showcasing the new Pal Arena was shared during the Triple-i Initiative showcase.
"The Pal Arena makes its way to Palworld in 2024! Battle against other players, pitting both yourself and your pals against them," the description teases. "Train the strongest Pals and defeat all your rivals!"
We don't know the exact combat mechanics for Pal Arena right now, but seeing as how the mode is set to arrive this year, details should come soon. Based on the trailer, it looks like each player will bring their three strongest Pals into the arena with them.
Released earlier this year in early access, Palworld is an open-world action survival game with monster-taming as its core mechanic. As you explore the open world, you'll encounter animal-like creatures called "Pals" that you can battle and capture to sue for base building, traversal, and combat.
Palworld is already one of the biggest surprise hits of this year, attracting more than 25 million players in just its first month — and that's only via Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview. Palworld isn't available on PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch yet, but Pocketpair CEO and game director Takuro Mizobe recently said they are in talks to bring the popular game to additional platforms.
Despite the game's success, it has not come without a bit of criticism. Palworld has drawn comparisons to another monster-collecting game, Pokemon, which has earned the game a bit of flack. While there are some noticeable similarities between the two, it certainly has its fair share of differences as well which make it a unique experience on its own.
"We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to Pokémon." The Pokemon Company said in a statement following the release of a mod that put Pokemon into Palworld.
It doesn't appear that any serious lawsuits have come for Palworld yet, so for now, it's business as usual. Palworld is still in Early Access with no date for when it will officially launch. Pocketpair previously estimated that it will remain in the early access phase for "at least one year" as they update the game with new content and features.
"Depending on the progress of development, we may consider extending early access or if we are satisfied with the state of the game, officially releasing the game," the developer said.
Pocketpair plans to continue improving the game with additional elements and new content, such as new areas and dungeons to explore, new buildings and items to enhance the survival elements, and now a new PvP mode.