Pocketpair’s survival monster-catcher game, Palworld, is here, and more multiplayer details are coming to light. But it’s not all good news. With the confirmation that Xbox and PC Game Pass players won’t have dedicated servers at launch, many are confused and frustrated by the news.
Palworld Early Access Multiplayer Details Disappoint Players
Palworld is on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox and PC Game Pass, and Steam at launch. Impressive. But players are less impressed by how the team is handling servers and crossplay.
As confirmed by a Pocketpair Community Manager on Discord, Xbox and PC Game Pass players won’t have official or dedicated servers for up to 32 players — a feature that was promoted on the game’s Steam page. Instead, Xbox and Xbox PC will only have co-op available for up to four players; it’s also noted that those players can crossplay together.
As such, here’s how multiplayer works in Palworld:
- Steam: Access to official servers and dedicated servers for up to 32 players. Crossplay unavailable with Xbox and GamePass.
- Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass: Four-player online co-op. No official or dedicated servers. Crossplay available with Xbox players.
- Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S: Four-player online co-op. No official or dedicated servers. Crossplay available with Game Pass players.
Though the Discord community immediately pointed out that this information should’ve been clarified sooner, Bucky quickly pushed back. In a follow-up message, they claimed the information was clearly stated.
However, nowhere on the game’s Xbox store page does it say anything about dedicated servers, which isn’t necessarily a straightforward statement. The team didn’t clarify it in the Early Access launch FAQ either. Ambiguity and lack of information have only led to more frustration from the playerbase, a result Pocketpair overlooked in its marketing.
Why Doesn’t Palworld Have Dedicated Servers for Xbox and Game Pass?
It’s unclear why Xbox and Game Pass can’t have dedicated servers like Steam. The devs stated that it’s a difficult matter to negotiate, but the team is trying to make it happen. In the meantime, this leaves many debating whether to switch to Steam to play with their friends.
If you’re feeling disappointed by the news, remember that Palworld is an Early Access title. We’ll likely see dedicated servers in the future. Until then, you can still enjoy co-op or make the platform switch if you choose.
That’s everything you need to know about the confusion surrounding Palworld‘s dedicated servers. For more on Pocketpair’s “Pokemon with guns” game, check out our growing guides hub and our list of Palworld and Pokemon similarities and differences right here at GameSkinny.
