Palworld confirms Side by Side: its next major update arrives this winter

Palworld has no plans to slow down after reaching version 1.0. Pocketpair has confirmed that the game's next major update already has a name, Side by Side, and a launch window: winter 2026. As reported by Vandal, the Japanese studio has only shared the name, the approximate date and a first promotional image, without yet revealing what content it will bring.

The announcement matters for several reasons. Palworld was one of the biggest phenomena of 2024, ended up in court over its similarities to Pokémon and just wrapped up its early access period this summer. The fact that the studio already has a major update on the horizon is the clearest sign that 1.0 was not an endpoint, but a starting point. On top of that, the announcement came alongside the results of the 2026 popularity poll, where the community picked its favorite Pals and characters.

What you need to know

• Side by Side is the official name of Palworld's next major update.
• Pocketpair has it arriving in winter 2026, with no specific day for now.
• For the moment there is only a promotional image and a message on the official website and social channels asking fans to wait for more details.
• The studio has published the results of the Palworld Global Popularity Poll 2026, with Sekhmet as the Pal most loved by players.
• Palworld launched in early access in early 2024 on PC and Xbox, arrived on PS5 in September and released its 1.0 version this summer.

What we know and what we don't about Side by Side

Let's be honest: what we know fits in a single line. Pocketpair has said that Side by Side will arrive in winter 2026 and has asked its community what new adventures await, promising more information soon. There is no list of new features, no trailer and no confirmation of whether it involves new Pals, new areas, combat changes or something completely different. Any interpretation of the name is, for now, pure speculation.

What does carry weight is the context. Palworld has been through a very intense cycle: an explosive early access launch in early 2024, the arrival on PlayStation 5 in September of that year, a legal battle over its resemblance to the Nintendo and Game Freak series, and finally the 1.0 launch in summer 2026. For the studio to announce a major update just a few months after closing early access says a lot about its intention to keep the game alive as a continuously supported service.

Sekhmet, the community's favorite Pal

Alongside the announcement, Pocketpair has shared the results of its 2026 global popularity poll, where players voted for their favorite Pals and characters. At the top of the Pal podium is Sekhmet, crowned the most beloved by the community. Vandal does not detail vote counts or the remaining positions in the excerpt we consulted, so we prefer not to make up the rest of the ranking.

Beyond mere curiosity, polls like this tend to be a hint of where a studio is looking. Knowing which creatures connect with the audience lets Pocketpair decide which Pals deserve more spotlight, cosmetics, variants or a presence in future expansions. It would not be surprising if some of this ends up reflected in Side by Side.

Our take

Here at the Underworld Lordz editorial team we view the announcement with interest, but also with some reservations. Announcing a name and a launch window without showing anything at all of the content is a classic marketing move, and it works for generating headlines, but it leaves players with little to hold on to. For those who have already squeezed everything out of 1.0, what they need to know is whether it is worth coming back, and that remains unanswered.

For content creators, on the other hand, the news is good for one simple reason: Palworld is still a game that draws audiences, and every major update usually brings a spike in interest. Having the winter window marked on the calendar makes it possible to plan streams, series and community events ahead of time. Our recommendation is not to burn through the hype too early: until Pocketpair shows real content, the sensible thing is to lay the groundwork and wait.

There is one last point worth remembering. Palworld still carries the noise of its legal dispute over the similarities with Pokémon. Every new update will be examined under a microscope, both by the community and by those watching from the other side. If Side by Side introduces new design elements, Pocketpair will have to prove it can grow with an identity of its own and not in the slipstream of the franchise that sparked the comparisons.

What do you think?

Side by Side arrives shrouded in mystery, with a community that has just chosen Sekhmet as its favorite Pal. Is a name and a date enough to get you excited, or would you rather wait to see real content before returning to Palworld? Tell us in the team chat or on our Discord.