In a remarkable display of success, the survival and crafting game Palworld, popularly dubbed as 'Pokémon with guns', has soared to new heights this past weekend. Palworld, developed by PocketPair, not only surpassed the highly anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 in Steam's most-played games list but also set a record with a peak concurrent player count of 1,291,967 - making it the fifth highest in Steam history. This also marks Palworld as the most-played Japanese-developed game ever on Steam, topping the previous record holder, Elden Ring.

More impressive than its player count, Palworld sold over five million copies within just about three days. To provide perspective, highly popular games such as Marvel's Spider-Man, God of War, and The Last of Us 2 all saw slower sales rates in their initial release window. Remarkably, Palworld’s sales figures were achieved despite its availability on Game Pass from day one.

Despite its massive launch success, the game has not been without its issues. Fans of the beloved Pokémon series have raised concerns over the similarities between Palworld's Pals and Pokémon creatures. Moreover, the Xbox version of Palworld is reportedly lagging in comparison to the Steam version regarding updates and features. Server difficulties have also been a struggle due to the overwhelming number of players flocking to the game.

What is the gameplay of Palworld like, and how does it compare to Pokémon?

Palworld offers a blend of survival gameplay with creature collecting and crafting. Players can capture and train Palworld’s creatures, known as Pals, similar to Pokémon. Unlike Pokémon, the game includes more mature elements such as utilizing Pals for labor or even as shields in combat, adding a unique twist to the beloved monster taming genre. The game provides an open-world environment filled with adventure, battles, and crafting systems that diverge from the traditional Pokémon experience.

If you’re a fan of the monster-collecting genre, Palworld’s success might have already caught your attention. It’s worth noting that Palworld, developed by PocketPair, adds a gritty survival twist to the typically family-friendly mechanic of collecting and battling with creatures. PocketPair, a Tokyo-based indie game developer, was previously known for their game Craftopia before Palworld skyrocketed their reputation within the gaming community. Palworld's controversial take on creature usage in-game, along with its unprecedented sales figures, positions it as one of the standout titles in the early part of this year. Gamers have shown immense interest in this unique title that fuses familiar mechanics with survival game elements, shaping it up to potentially be one of the defining games of the year.