Palworld 1.0 will officially launch on July 10, leaving Early Access and becoming a fully-fledged release. The devs aren’t letting it go to their heads, though.
The Pokémon rival has undergone a lot of change and just as much hardship since it was first released in 2024. It was threatened with legal action for its resemblance to the Pokémon franchise, but was later cleared of any copyright infringement claims. Now the game will undergo its biggest transformation yet — an evolution, if you will — as Palworld 1.0 drops over 27 pages worth of new content and changes.
Palworld 1.0 Offers Just as Much Content as Pokémon — But Without the $80 Price Tag
With so much new content heading to the game, it’d be easy for developer and publisher Pocketpair to inflate the price to that of a standard AAA, but on July 8, it proudly said otherwise.
Through a post on X, Pocketpair addressed its fans days before the big Palworld 1.0 update:
“After much thought, we have decided not to raise the price of Palworld following the 1.0 release and will keep it at $29.99.”
The post continued:
“We are incredibly proud of how far Palworld has come. Thanks to the amazing support of our players, it has become a success beyond our wildest dreams. As a small way of saying thank you, we’ll be keeping the price at $29.99. Thank you for your continued support.”
In a world full of $70-$80 price tags, this has been a breath of fresh air — especially when Pokémon Winds and Waves is feared to cost $80 at launch.
A Rare Move in the Industry
Early Access games typically charge a lower price to entice users, increasing the sticker price once the full release goes live. Pocketpair is bucking that trend. The studio previously had room to raise the price before the full release but has now decided to keep Palworld at its original price point.
The decision is a small way of thanking players for their support. Palworld has grown massively since its Early Access launch in 2024, with the game now reaching over 40 million players.
What’s Coming in 1.0
Version Palworld 1.0 is expected to be a major update rather than a small final polish patch. The update brings:
- New Pals — more new Pals than any previous update
- New areas — fresh locations to explore
- Story content — expanding Palworld‘s world and narrative
- Long-awaited endgame material connected to the World Tree
Pocketpair has said that players will not be forced to wipe their saves, although starting fresh is recommended if you want to experience the full scope of the update from the beginning.
How to Get Palworld at the Best Price
Those who’ve already bought the game via Early Access can, of course, upgrade to the Palworld 1.0 release for free — no need to buy it for a second time. Xbox owners can also play it at no additional cost via their Xbox Game Pass subscriptions.
For those who don’t have Xbox Game Pass on their console or PC, or those who’d rather own a copy of the game rather than rent one, you can actually grab Palworld at a decent discount on Steam right now. The Steam Summer Sale is currently listing the game for 30% off, meaning you can get ready for the 1.0 update for a mere $20.99 / £17.49. This offer expires by the end of the day, though, so act fast if you’re interested.
Also, Read
- Palworld Highlights Important Changes Ahead of 1.0 Update – Wildlife Sanctuaries Get a Major Overhaul
- Palworld Dev Confirms No Forced Save Wipe for 1.0 Launch, But Recommends Starting Fresh
- Everything Officially Confirmed for Palworld’s 1.0 Release So Far
A Win for Pocketpair and the Fans
All in all, the decision to retain Palworld‘s current price has been a big win for Pocketpair and, of course, the fans. Over the last couple of years, Pocketpair has won good favour with its community for several fantastic updates to the game and has constantly taken on board player feedback.
Palworld 1.0 is going to be the biggest update yet, but there’s likely plenty more to come. You’ll be able to play the new update from July 10 onwards.