Palworld is a hybrid monster capture/survival game that clearly took inspiration from one of its biggest competitors, Pokemon. While it borrows a few things from one of Nintendo's biggest franchises, it at least twists what it has to offer to give it its own identity. Although this led to problems such as a lawsuit between them Pokemon and Palworlddidn't derail his path to finding other growth opportunities, highlighted by the confirmation that the game is heading to mobile devices. That said, maybe Pocketpair should consider borrowing another trick from its competition, something it's been doing for years to great success.
In the fall of 2024, Krafton and Pocketpair entered into a partnership, with the former obtaining licensing agreements Palworld's IP, which led to the development of a mobile version of the game. While it was stated to be faithfully reinterpreted to be playable on a phone, it won't exactly be a 1:1 port, opening up speculation as to what the differences might be. One of the potential things Pocketpair could do is lend Pokemontrick to have monsters with an exclusive version, but in this case it will be implemented in the mobile version Palworld. With the game's phone port and its PC and console counterparts already confirmed to have several differences, such a move could be just what Krafton and Pocketpair need to do.
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Why the Palworld mobile port should have friends with an exclusive version
While there are already many unique friends in the world Palworldthere's still potential to have even more, especially given the game's futuristic, fantasy, and industrial setting. While there's no way to tell what might end up being created, the near-endless possibilities mean content for all versions for years to come. But Pocketpair should consider giving the mobile port its own exclusive mates, as it can benefit the game in ways such as:
- It gives the mobile version its own identity that makes it stand out and is likely to get current and potential fans to play it
- Players are more motivated to try out the mobile version, as they may prefer friends there over those found on PC and consoles.
- A more active community like exclusives will make people want to trade with each other to get them
Palworld coming to mobile means it needs something unique and having an exclusive version of Pals could be just what should be provided. While it will be difficult for Krafton and Pocketpair to get all the versions compatible enough to trade with each other, the benefits will likely be worth it.
What friends with the exclusive version can potentially bring to Palworld
If the mobile version Palworld has an exclusive version, Pocketpair could use it to introduce a new element to the game. The 9 available in early access already do a good job of making battles more engaging, but adding more can add to the complexity of combat while providing more content. A phone port could be the first to have it, making it a significant addition that will grab the attention of fans and show the potential of what else could be introduced in the future. This could eventually lead to the PC and console versions having their own exclusives associated with the new element, emphasizing that while there are cross-platform things, they still provide the same monster-catching experience.
Mobile version Palworld can be a great home Pokemon's feature of having versions exclusive as it presents the game with many opportunities to help it grow. If Pocketpair and Krafton realize the potential, players will likely have even more friends to look forward to.