Pocketpair CEO Discusses Palworld's Future: Live Service or Standalone?
A Business Opportunity, but a Significant Challenge
In a recent interview with ASCII Japan, Palworld CEO Takuro Mizobe addressed the uncertainty surrounding the game's future development path. The question: will Palworld transition to a live service model? While no final decision has been made, Mizobe confirmed ongoing plans for updates, including a new map, Pals, and raid bosses. However, he outlined two potential directions: completing Palworld as a one-time purchase (B2P) game, or transitioning to a live service (LiveOps) model.
Mizobe acknowledged the financial advantages of a live service model, stating that it offers greater profit potential and extends the game's lifespan. However, he emphasized the significant challenges involved, given Palworld's initial design wasn't built for this model.
A key consideration is player preference. Mizobe noted the typical live service model involves initially launching as free-to-play (F2P) and then adding monetized content. Palworld's B2P structure complicates this transition. While successful F2P conversions exist (like PUBG and Fall Guys), Mizobe highlighted the years of effort required for those transitions.
Mizobe also discussed other monetization strategies, such as in-game advertising. However, he dismissed this option for Palworld, citing the difficulties of implementing ads successfully in PC games, particularly on platforms like Steam, where players generally react negatively to advertising.
Currently, Pocketpair focuses on attracting new players and retaining existing ones. The decision on Palworld's future direction remains under careful consideration, with the game currently in early access, recently launching its major Sakurajima update and the highly anticipated PvP arena.
