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Palworld 1.0: Everything About the Update That Brings the Game Out of Early Access
After two and a half years of early access, it’s official: Palworld 1.0 is finally available. The most anticipated update of the year transforms Pocketpair’s game into a true final version, with the biggest content expansion in its history. New map, dozens of new Pals, revamped multiplayer, new flying and breeding mechanics: there’s plenty of reason to start a new game from scratch, solo or with friends.
In this article, we take a complete look at the Palworld 1.0 update: its release date, everything it adds, what changes for multiplayer servers, and how to enjoy it on your own server. If you’re already playing in a group, now is the perfect time to start fresh.
Palworld 1.0: Release Date and Platforms
The release date for Palworld 1.0 is set for July 10, 2026. The update is rolled out simultaneously on all platforms: PC (Steam and Microsoft Store), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. It marks the official end of early access, which began in January 2024.
Good news for long-time players: the update is free for everyone who already owns the game, and your old saves remain compatible. So you can pick up your existing game… although, with so many new features, many will prefer to start a fresh adventure to discover everything in order.
The only downside: no Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 version is planned for now, due to an ongoing legal dispute. Crossplay between PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, however, remains fully functional.
A Map That Doubles in Size: World Tree and the Sunreach Sky Island
The biggest part of the Palworld 1.0 update is the map. Pocketpair calls it “the largest content expansion in the game’s history,” and for good reason: the playable area is roughly doubled thanks to two brand-new regions.
The first, Sunreach, is a vast floating sky island. It’s accessible at the end of progression and features its own Pals, resources, and aerial biomes. It’s a fully vertical playground that changes the way you explore.
The second, the World Tree, has been visible since the start of the game but was previously inaccessible. It now becomes the narrative heart of the endgame: extremely high-level enemies, story quests, and reworked boss fights await you there. This is where the true end of the adventure takes place.
This map expansion comes with a renewed mission system and a revamped progression, designed to guide players through this new content without getting lost.
72 New Pals: A Roster Raised to 287 Creatures
It’s impossible to talk about Palworld 1.0 new features without mentioning the Pals. The final version adds 72 new creatures, bringing the total roster to 287 Pals—the largest creature addition ever made in a single update.
Among the confirmed or teased Pals are a fire dragon, a martial arts panda, a legendary sky dragon linked to Sunreach, a giant whale, Dupin (a jester-cat), a guardian creature of the World Tree, and even a sword-eel that can be used as a weapon. Most of these new Pals are directly tied to the two new regions, giving you a real reason to explore them thoroughly.
At the same time, Pocketpair has carried out a global rebalancing: stats and abilities of many existing Pals have been adjusted, and progression systems like Awakening and Mutation have been reworked. In other words, even veterans will need to reconsider their teams.
New Gameplay Mechanics in Palworld 1.0
Beyond content, the Palworld 1.0 update introduces several mechanics that fundamentally change the way you play.
The Wing Pack is arguably the most striking: this personal wing system lets you fly on your own and fight in the air, without taking up one of your combat Pal slots. Aerial combat finally becomes a fully viable option.
Genetic Recombination completely overhauls the breeding system. You can now merge the traits of your Pals—including legendaries—for much more personalized and strategic breeding results. Min-maxing fans will love it.
Finally, a dedicated PvP mode makes its debut, with structured player-versus-player battles. Coupled with the reworked boss fights (Tower Boss) and wildlife sanctuaries, the entire “combat” side of the game gains depth.
On the technical side, Pocketpair also announces large-scale overhauls of base building, multiplayer, and graphics, as well as improved Pal pathfinding—to help reduce erratic creature behavior in your bases.
Multiplayer and Crossplay: What Changes for Servers
The 1.0 version is also great news for those who play in groups, as multiplayer gets a major overhaul.
Server Clustering
A highly anticipated new feature: Palworld 1.0 introduces server clustering, which allows you to link multiple dedicated servers together. In practice, this paves the way for larger worlds and better load distribution as your community grows. With a doubled map and 72 more Pals, having a stable and powerful server has never been more important.
As a reminder, a dedicated server can host up to 32 simultaneous players (compared to 4 in co-op mode), stay online 24/7 even when the host is disconnected, and gives you full control over the configuration. If you want to enjoy 1.0 in the best conditions with your friends, a dedicated Palworld hosting remains the most comfortable solution—deployment in less than 60 seconds, anti-DDoS protection, and dedicated resources included.
Save Compatibility and Migration
As mentioned above, your early access saves remain compatible with 1.0. However, if you’re moving from a co-op game to a dedicated server to enjoy large-scale multiplayer, the process requires some precautions due to a well-known save bug. We detail the step-by-step procedure in our dedicated guide: migrating a Co-op save to a dedicated Palworld server.
How to Enjoy Palworld 1.0 on Your Own Server
Want to explore Sunreach and the World Tree with friends, under your own rules? Here are the essential steps.
First, update your server to version 1.0. Then, take the time to configure the settings to match your play style: Pal spawn rates, difficulty, death penalties, experience speed, PvP, etc. Everything is set in the PalWorldSettings.ini file, and we explain each option in our complete Palworld server settings guide. For a quick start, our article setting up your Palworld server walks you through step by step.
Once in-game, daily management is handled via admin commands: banning a player, saving, restarting the server, sending an announcement… Our Palworld admin commands guide lists everything you need. And if your server suffers from crashes or excessive memory usage after the update, check out our tips for reducing crashes and memory leaks on Palworld.
You’ll find all our tutorials in our Palworld documentation.
FAQ – Palworld 1.0 Update
What is the release date for Palworld 1.0? Version 1.0 was released on July 10, 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One, marking the end of early access.
Is the Palworld 1.0 update paid? No. 1.0 is free for all game owners. The game itself remains available at an affordable price (under $20). However, a first paid DLC is planned for July 30, 2026.
Do my old saves work with 1.0? Yes, early access saves are compatible with version 1.0. Many players will still choose to start over to fully enjoy the new content.
How many new Pals in Palworld 1.0? The update adds 72 new Pals, bringing the total to 287 creatures.
Is Palworld 1.0 available on Switch? No, there is currently no Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 version planned due to an ongoing legal dispute.
Does crossplay still work in 1.0? Yes, crossplay between PC, PlayStation, and Xbox is maintained.
Conclusion
The Palworld 1.0 update is not just a version bump: it’s the biggest expansion of the game to date, with a doubled map, 72 additional Pals, new flying, breeding, and PvP mechanics, and a reimagined multiplayer. Whether you’re picking up an existing game or starting from scratch, the experience is even better with friends, on a stable server running 24/7.
Ready to explore Sunreach and the World Tree as a team? Launch your own dedicated Palworld server at OuiHeberg in less than a minute and enjoy the final version in the best possible conditions.