After years of Nintendo lawsuits and many millions of sales, Pokémon baiter Palworld is out in 1.0 today
Palworld officially exits early access and launches version 1.0 on July 10, 2026, marking the full release of the creature-catching survival game developed by Pocketpair. The game has already achieved remarkable commercial success during early access, selling 40 million copies since its initial 2024 launch despite facing multiple lawsuits from Nintendo over intellectual property concerns.
Palworld distinguished itself through its distinctive approach to the creature-collection genre, combining survival-crafting mechanics with dark humor—most notably depicting Pokémon-like creatures performing labor in factories. This irreverent take on the traditional formula initially drew skeptics who dismissed it as merely “Pokémon with guns,” yet Pocketpair has since demonstrated that the game possesses substantial depth and its own identity beyond novelty appeal.
The full 1.0 release was teased at Summer Game Fest last month and represents the culmination of over two years of development and community feedback during the extended early access period. Despite Nintendo’s legal action, Palworld has proven that there is significant market demand for alternatives within the creature-collecting genre. The launch demonstrates that independent developers can create commercially viable titles capable of challenging established franchises in traditionally locked-down gaming categories.