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Palworld’s first big update is the perfect excuse to jump back in

Palworld haunted house in Sakurajima update
Pocketpair

Today’s Summer Game Fest live stream revealed that Palworld, aka Pokémon with guns, will get an update later this month. Pocketpair’s Sakurajima Update introduces new settings, Pals, factions, and more to explore in the so-called Pokémon killer. It’s named after a real island in the Kyushu region of Japan.

Palworld | Sakurajima Update Trailer | Palnews | Pocketpair | Summer Game Fest 2024

The latest Palworld trailer goes through the upcoming features with short clips of each. The new island includes various landscape, from mushroom forests to haunted houses, as well as new buildings for those more interested in customization. New Pals also seem to lean into these environments, like a bulky, skull-faced ghost and an armor-clad knight with a red-feathered helmet. The new Palworld level cap also adds progression for returning players to work toward.

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The Palworld Sakurajima update introduces dedicated Xbox servers for fans who want to create their own servers for Xbox players. Palworld already supports servers on PC for up to 32 players. Other features include the ability to invade enemy oil rigs and a proper PvP arena mode to build on the competitive aspect of the monster-taming MMORPG. Also expect a new faction and boss that you can choose for your alignment.

🌸#Palworld Sakurajima Update – June 27th🌸

🧭New Island
🐸Tons of new Pals and subspecies!
🔥Challenge a new raid and hard-mode bosses!
⚓Plunder an enemy oil rig!
🚀Expanded building, new level cap and more!
🤝Xbox Dedicated Servers!

🌸…and much more! Coming June 27th!🌸… pic.twitter.com/01j5Ict9a8

— Palworld (@Palworld_EN) June 7, 2024

Palworld topped Steam charts when it launched in January 2024 and earned notoriety as an amalgamation of popular series like Pokémon. Since then, the player count has tapered off. However, Pocketpair devs have supported players’ choices, inviting them to return when they want. The Sakurajima update might be what beings them back.

The Palworld Sakurajima update arrives on June 27, 2024. Palworld is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Jess Reyes
Jessica Reyes is a freelance writer who specializes in anime-centric and trending topics. Her work can be found in Looper…
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