Palworld Communications Director Says Nintendo Switch 2 Version '100% Worth Considering' if the Console Is 'Beefy Enough'

When Pocketpair's monster capturing survival adventure, Palworld, was released, it quickly drew comparisons to Pokemon, often being dubbed "Pokemon with guns." Despite the comparison not being favored by Pocketpair, as stated by their communications director John 'Bucky' Buckley, the allure of managing a collection of charming creatures has led many to wonder if Palworld would ever find its way onto the Nintendo Switch, the primary platform for Pokemon games.

Unfortunately, Buckley clarified that a Nintendo Switch version is unlikely due to technical constraints. He remarked, "If we could make the game work on the Switch, we would, but Palworld is a beefy game."

"If it's beefy enough, it's 100% worth considering. We did a lot of optimization for Steam Deck, which we were really happy with. Still work to do, but we're really happy with how it turned out. So we would like to get it on more handhelds if possible."

Amidst these technical considerations, Pocketpair is also navigating a lawsuit from Nintendo over alleged patent infringement related to Pokemon's ball-throwing mechanics. Some have speculated that this legal battle might be the true barrier preventing Palworld from appearing on the Switch. However, Buckley emphasized during his GDC talk that the lawsuit was not the primary reason for the absence of a Switch version. He shared that the legal challenge came as a surprise to the team, despite thorough legal reviews before the game's launch. "Pretty much everyone at Pocketpair is a huge fan [of Pokemon]," Buckley stated, reflecting on the team's morale after the lawsuit, "so it was a very depressing day, everyone heads down and walking in the rain."

The looming question remains whether Nintendo would permit a game it has legally challenged to be released on its next-generation console.

Stay tuned for our full interview with Buckley from GDC, which we will publish later this week. In the meantime, if you've taken a break from Palworld, now might be the perfect time to return, especially with the recent update introducing cross-platform play.