Xbox fans eagerly awaiting the release of Palworld expressed their disappointment at the lack of dedicated servers on the platform, which was confirmed on the eve of the game’s launch.
Palworld is due to be released on Jan. 19 on both Xbox and Steam, but those using Microsoft platforms, including the Xbox app on PC, will not be able to enjoy the action with other players on dedicated servers.
Developer Pocketpair advertised the game as featuring four-player co-op alongside servers that can be enjoyed by up to 32 players at a time, leading to excitement as fans began to expect a similar experience to other games in the survival genre.
However, less than 24 hours before the game releases, it was clarified on Palworld‘s official Discord channel that dedicated servers would be for Steam players only—issuing a massive blow to those planning to play on Xbox.
Plenty of fans vented their frustration in the dedicated Xbox channel in the Pocketpair Discord, with one quipping that Palworld “might as well be a demo” without dedicated servers being available, while others commented that it may push them towards purchasing the game on Steam instead.
The fact that Palworld will be releasing on Xbox Game Pass for console and PC was seen as a big win for those players, particularly given there is no news about a release on PlayStation, but missing out on dedicated servers is a big blow—plus the fact that Steam players could see mod support in future too.
Not everyone was disheartened by the news, however, with many saying the lack of servers does not affect their excitement for the game, while others always intended to play the game in single-player, though it remains to be seen whether this affects the long-term survivability of the title.
