Palworld Won't Answer the Question 'What's Beyond AAA?'

Palworld's phenomenal success has positioned Pocketpair to potentially create a game surpassing even AAA titles. However, CEO Takuro Mizobe has outlined a different path for the studio. Let's delve into his reasoning.

Palworld's Profits: A "Beyond AAA" Opportunity Declined

Pocketpair's Focus: Indie Games and Community Support

Pocketpair's creature-catching survival game, Palworld, has been a massive hit, generating tens of billions of yen in revenue (that's tens of millions of USD!). This windfall could easily fund a project exceeding AAA standards. Yet, CEO Takuro Mizobe has reiterated his disinterest in such a large-scale undertaking.

In a GameSpark interview, Mizobe explained that while Palworld's success is undeniable, Pocketpair isn't structurally prepared to manage a project of that magnitude. Palworld's development leveraged profits from previous titles, Craftopia and Overdungeon. This time, however, Mizobe believes scaling up prematurely would be detrimental.

"Developing our next game with these proceeds would create a project beyond AAA scale," Mizobe stated. "Our organization isn't structured for that. We aren't ready." He prefers focusing on projects he finds "interesting as indie games," believing that a smaller scale allows for greater creative freedom and agility. He also notes the challenges of AAA development in the current market, contrasting them with the thriving indie scene and its improved development tools and global reach. Pocketpair's success, he emphasizes, is deeply rooted in the indie community, and the company is committed to giving back.

Palworld's Expansion into New Media

Mizobe previously stated that Pocketpair won't be expanding its team or upgrading its facilities despite its financial success. Instead, the focus is on expanding the Palworld IP into various media.

Palworld, currently in early access, has received significant praise for its engaging gameplay and consistent updates, including a PvP arena and the recent Sakurajima update. Furthermore, Pocketpair, in collaboration with Sony, has established Palworld Entertainment to manage global licensing and merchandising.