While Palworld’s initial release was met with great enthusiasm during its early access launch, a few fans expressed concern over the game’s future updates and longevity. Pocketpair, the indie developer from Japan responsible for the game, had previously shown a lackluster commitment to post-launch support. One of their earlier gaming ventures, Craftopia, had lingered in early access for an extended period without a full release. Moreover, some skeptics dismissed Palworld as a fleeting trend, doubting Pocketpair’s promises of long-term support, fearing the game would eventually be abandoned.
Fortunately, many of these initial doubts have been addressed satisfactorily. Not only has Palworld retained its player base, but it has consistently rolled out significant new updates. Just last month, Pocketpair expanded Palworld’s universe with Feybreak, a new region teeming with fresh Pals, armaments, and play styles. Looking ahead, the studio plans to introduce features like co-op crossplay, a climactic boss battle, and an endgame scenario. As thrilling as this roadmap sounds, Pocketpair could enhance Palworld’s appeal by adding a captivating minigame in the vein of Witcher 3’s Gwent before concluding its early access phase.
The idea of Palworld drawing inspiration from The Witcher 3 might strike some as odd due to their distinct genres. Palworld is a creature-collection survival game with hardly any narrative, while The Witcher 3 immerses players in a rich, story-driven medieval fantasy RPG. Yet, despite the differences, The Witcher 3’s Gwent, a beloved card game, could seamlessly integrate into Palworld’s universe.
Gwent, which originated from Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher novels and later became a key feature in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, allows two players to engage in strategic card battles, leading armies and executing calculated tactical maneuvers. The player with the superior card presence on the battlefield emerges victorious after all cards are played. Gwent’s intricate gameplay may not suit everyone, but its popularity in the Witcher fandom is undeniable. It’s so well-received that it spawned three standalone Witcher games. In 2018, CD Projekt Red released a free-to-play version of Gwent across all modern gaming systems, barring the Nintendo Switch, followed by single-player extensions, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, and Gwent: Rogue Mage.
Emulating the successful expansion of Gwent, it could be highly advantageous for Pocketpair to implement a card game into Palworld. Given its creature-collection roots akin to the Pokémon Trading Card Game, such a feature could naturally extend the game’s universe. Should this addition gain traction, Pocketpair could spin off multiple standalone Palworld titles, mirroring CD Projekt Red’s approach with Gwent. The possibilities extend to developing various game expansions and capitalizing on related merchandise, thereby broadening Palworld’s market footprint and enriching its appeal to both single-player and multiplayer audiences.
