Microsoft says Palworld is the biggest ever third-party Game Pass launch

Palworldviral “Armed Pokemon” game Launched in Early Access to mixed reviews, it has already sold 19 million copies. Developer Pocketpair says it has sold 12 million copies on Steam and seven million on Xbox as of January 19th (after going on sale). over a million in the first eight hours). Microsoft he says The Pokémon satire is the biggest third-party release on Game Pass.

“The response from fans has been overwhelming and it’s incredible to see millions of players around the world enjoying the game PalworldTakuro Mizobe, CEO of Pocketpair, said Xbox Wire. “This is just the beginning for us and Palworldand the feedback we gather during the Game Preview will allow us to continue to improve the experience for Pal Tamers on all platforms.”

In addition to being the largest third-party Game Pass release, Palworld performed the largest third-party first-day release Xbox Cloud Gaming (includes Game Pass Ultimate). The game’s peak since launch has been nearly three million daily active users on Xbox. Microsoft says it was the most played game on Xbox platforms at the time.

Palworld It uses Pokémon-esque characters and themes – enough It’s getting the attention of Nintendo’s lawyers. It features battles with monsters similar to those in the creature collection series, including the ability to trap them in an orb after winning.

But Palworld also includes social commentary and incorporates themes you’ve never seen before in Pokemon – like labor exploitation. “Don’t worry, there are no labor laws for dudes,” reads one game FAQ. One of the title’s trailers showed a player circling around his hard-working friends with a rifle. “Creating such a productive base is the secret to living a comfortable life Palworld” says the narration.

Microsoft emphasized that the developer is still hard at work on the Early Access title. “Pocketpair has more than just improved experience ahead of the full 1.0 release” Xbox Wire‘s Joe Skrebels wrote. He says Pocketpair listens to player feedback and applies what it learns. He added that cross-play, one of the most requested features, is coming.

Even if initial impressions of the game’s fun and polish are (at best) lacking, having Microsoft in their corner could help the developer tighten up. Palworld Significantly. The Windows maker says it supports gaming by running dedicated servers and offering engineering resources to optimize GPU and memory workloads. Palworld placed X will “continue to prioritize fixing bugs.”

Palworld Available in Early Access for $30 (and included with Game Pass). Xbox and PC (incl Steam).