2026 is free real estate for several early access titles, including breakout hit Palworld, as they prepare to enter their 1.0 state. In a new video celebrating the sandbox survival crafting title’s second anniversary, John Buckley, Pocketpair’s head of communications and publishing, said the studio is “hard at work” on 1.0, which is “shaping up to be our biggest update ever.”
That’s not all, as concept art of several new Pals was showcased, from what seems to be an Electric-type lion cub to a fish that can separate its head from its body to attack with a bladed spinal cord. However, perhaps most intriguing is the whale seen at the end, which dwarfs the player to an incredible degree.
It’s heading towards the World Tree – a key part of Update 1.0 that makes up the game’s ending scenario. Players will venture inside, and one can only guess what secrets await, but don’t worry – Pocketpair plans to continue support. “While the World Tree will mark the conclusion of this particular journey, it’s by no means the end of Palworld,” said Buckley last year.
Outside of the World Tree and new Pals, it’s unknown what we can expect in 1.0, which launches later this year, so stay tuned for more sneak peeks and teasers. Palworld is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It crossed 32 million players as of February 2025, so you can bet that figure is even higher now (though the developer hasn’t confirmed as much).
