In the age of live service games, there aren't many that last for very long. Helldivers 2 seemed like the hottest new kid on the block for a minute, but its player levels aren't quite what they used to be. The same is true for Palworld, originally released in January, a month before Helldivers 2, which plateaud much sooner. Palworld's console part revived some interest it on PC too, and now the world of Palworld is set to expand beyond the game.

Sony Music Entertainment Japan and its subsidiary Aniplex have partnered with Palworld developer Pocketpair to create Palworld Entertainment, a joint venture dedicated to licencing, merchandising and marketing for the Palworld IP. Their debut merch was introduced at billibilli World 2024 in Shanghai on July 12, and plushies of pals Cattiva, Depresso and Chillet are available to pre-order from Aniplex.

For a game that was called a blatant rip-off when it first launched, Palworld has done pretty well for itself, and I don't think anyone could've predicted that Sony would be getting involved with the IP. Maybe they're trying to build it up as their own answer to Pokémon since more merch and licencing equals more brand awareness and more players, but let's not forget that time Nintendo announced they were "looking into" Palworld. It doesn't seem like they've made an update on that front yet, but it's possible this could force their hand.

Are you guys still playing Palworld? Are you hyped for official merch thanks to Sony? Let us know below!