Pocketpair unleashes Palworld for Mac after November release date delay

After postponing its November 2024 debut, Palworld is finally available for Macs. Since its early 2024 release, the creature-taming and survival game has faced its share of controversy. Nevertheless, it enjoys a committed fanbase on the PC and consoles, with the Switch a notable exception. Pocketpair is hoping that Palworld's mainstream appeal will translate to Apple enthusiasts.

Currently, Palworld is only available on the Mac App Store for $29.99, which may disappoint users who prefer Steam. Players will need a Mac with an Apple M1 chip to ensure smooth gameplay. On compatible systems, the download requires 22.8 GB of space.

The good news is that the new Mac version includes most recent Palworld updates. On the other hand, players will need to wait until mid-March to host dedicated servers. Another issue is that, like on all platforms, the promised cross-play is still lacking. As a result, Mac gamers may not have a large pool of fellow hunters to pursue creatures with.

More than a year after its release, Palworld continues in early access, and there is no firm date for a final version. Still, Pocketpair hasn't stopped adding content, even facing a Nintendo lawsuit over patent infringement. Responding to the legal challenges, Palworld developers changed its Pokemon-like capture animations. It's debatable whether this slowed the game's progress or is why features like cross-play remain absent.

Palworld is sometimes criticized as a dying game, but its daily Steam player count still peaks between 40,000 and 50,000. While that's a far cry from its January 2024 numbers, those statistics don't measure console support. Mac players can now join the Palworld community and see if the waiting has been worth it.