Pocketpair CEO Weighs in on Turning Palworld Into a Live Service GameIt's Good for Business, but Definitely Challenging
"Of course, we will update [Palworld] with new content," he said, with devs Pocketpair looking to add a new map, more new Pals, as well as raid bosses to keep things fresh. "But for the future of Palworld, we are looking at two options," Mizobe added.
"Either we complete Palworld, as is, as a 'packaged' buy-to-play (B2P) game, or it becomes a live-service game (referred to as LiveOps in the interview)," Mizobe explained. B2P is a type of revenue model wherein the full game can be accessed and played after a one-time purchase has been made. Whereas in live service models, otherwise known as games-as-a-service, games typically employ monetization schemes with the continuous release of monetized content.
Another aspect that Mizobe said they must carefully consider is Palworld's appeal as a live service game to fans. "And the most important thing is [determining] whether the players want it or not." He added, "Typically, a game must have been already F2P (free-to-play) for it to adopt a live service game model, and then paid content such as skins and battle passes are added subsequently. But Palworld is a one-time purchase game (B2P), so it is difficult to turn it into a live service game."
He further explained, "There are several examples of games that have successfully shifted to F2P," citing blockbuster hits like PUBG and Fall Guys, "but it took several years for both games to successfully make that shift. While I understand that the live service model is good for business, it’s not that simple."
"So, for now, we are carefully deliberating what direction Palworld should take," Mizobe concluded. At the moment, Palworld is still in its early access phase, recently launching its biggest update, Sakurajima, and introducing its hotly-anticipated PvP arena mode.
