The long-awaited Palworld 1.0 update will release this week on July 10th, and now developer Pocketpair has shortened the release timeline while giving existing players an official recommendation on whether they should wipe their data in order to do so.
First of all, Palworld 1.0. Pocketpair said it couldn’t give an exact release time, but plans to release the updated version of the game around noon on July 10th Japan time. Or, more precisely, 12:30 Japanese time.
“The estimated time is NOT a 100% accurate launch time,” explained John “Bucky” Buckley, Pocketpair’s director of communications and publications manager, in a Discord post.
Assuming around 12:30 pm Japan time, that would be 8:30 pm PT on July 9th, 11:30 pm ET on July 9th, and 4:30 pm UK time on July 10th.
Global release time for Palworld 1.0 (estimated):
- Los Angeles: 8:30 pm PT, July 9
- New York: 11:30 pm ET July 9
- London: 4:30am UK time 10 July.
- Tokyo: 12:30 Japanese time July 10th.
- Sydney: 13:30 AEST 10 July
Elsewhere, Bucky said existing Palworld players don’t need to wipe their data for version 1.0, “but you should.”
“Players can continue with their existing saves if they wish, as we want to respect the time and effort you have put in,” Bucky continued in another Discord message. “However, due to the many changes to the game, including revised mechanics and new content, we believe that launching a new character will give you the best Palworld experience!
“We’ll leave that choice to you, fellow Tamers!”
It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride for Palworld Early Access since it launched on Steam for $30 and launched straight to Game Pass on Xbox and PC in early 2024, breaking sales and concurrent player records in the process. Pocketpair chief Takuro Mizobe said Palworld’s launch was so big that the developer couldn’t handle the huge profits the game brought in. However, Pocketpair quickly responded to capitalize on Palworld’s breakthrough success by signing an agreement with Sony to create a new business called Palworld Entertainment, aimed at expanding its intellectual property. She later launched the game on PS5.
Following Palworld’s massive launch, comparisons were made between Pals and Palworld’s Pokémon, with some accusing Pocketpair of “copying” Pokémon designs. But rather than sue for copyright infringement, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company went the patent route. In the original suit, the two companies sought 5 million yen (about $30,000) each, plus compensation for late payment, as well as an injunction against Palworld that would have blocked its release. A decision is expected later this year.
As of Palworld 1.0, Bucky announced 27 pages of changes and additions for the patch notes. This will be a big event.
Wesley is IGN’s News Director. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can contact Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.