If you’re a Nintendo Switch owner, you’re likely curious to know if Palworld will be coming to the platform, especially considering its obvious similarities to Nintendo’s own Pokémon franchise.
Palworld has reimagined the monster-catching genre by placing guns and other weapons in the hands of cute companions called Pals. It’s not as violent as it sounds, but don’t let the cutesy visuals fool you: Palworld looks to be a more adult take on the Pokémon formula and thus sports a higher age rating. The Switch is home to plenty of mature games for older audiences, though, so Palworld‘s inclusion isn’t an impossibility.
Is Palworld coming to Nintendo Switch?
A Palworld Nintendo Switch release has not been confirmed. So far, developer Pocketpal has only said the game will come to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC once it launches in early access on Jan. 19. There are some rumblings on whether or not Nintendo will even carry the game on Switch, since it carries too many resemblances to Pokémon. However, Nintendo has yet to comment on the matter, and the company’s had no issues with other Pokémon-esque titles like Temtem and Coromon appearing on Switch. So, it’s highly unlikely Nintendo would deliberately bar Palmon from its platform.
Pocketpal could already have plans for a Switch port later down the road, but only once Palworld exits early access, and there’s no telling how long that will take. The game’s Steam listing says the plan is for the early access period to run for at least a year, but Pocketpal could always extend it depending on how development progresses.
If Pocketpal doesn’t have any plans to bring the game to Switch, it could change its mind if Palworld performs incredibly well on Xbox and PC or if there’s enough demand for a Switch port. Despite Pokémon‘s popularity, there remain some fans who aren’t happy with how the main games have turned out over the years and are always eager for an alternative that can challenge the long-running franchise. Whether Palworld can offer any worthwhile competition, though, is another question entirely.
