Palworld geht durch die Decke, aber es gibt auch Kritik aus vielen Richtungen! - News 22.01.2024

Summary

In this GameStar News episode, the unexpected success of Palworld, a 'Pokémon with guns' game, is highlighted as it climbs to the fifth most-played game on Steam with 1.3 million concurrent players, surpassing major titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring. Despite its success, Palworld faces plagiarism accusations for its creature designs resembling Pokémon too closely. Additionally, concerns about the use of AI in monster design have been raised. The episode also covers a hidden Quake 6 teaser in the Indiana Jones trailer, and Piranha Bytes addresses rumors of its studio's closure, promising to continue creating immersive worlds. Lastly, Capcom faces review bombing on Steam for implementing DRM that affects game performance and modding capabilities.

Takeaways

• 📺 Palworld, described as 'Pokémon with guns,' has unexpectedly risen to the fifth most-played game on Steam, with nearly 1.3 million concurrent players at its peak.
• 🔥 The game's success surpasses that of major titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Baldur's Gate 3 in terms of peak concurrent players on Steam.
• 🕹 Palworld has sold over 5 million units, with the development team Pocketpair overwhelmed by the game's reception and the server capacity challenges due to high player numbers.
• 👾 Plagiarism accusations have emerged against Palworld, with social media users pointing out similarities between its creatures and those in Pokémon, sparking debate on inspiration versus imitation.
• 🤖 Concerns have been raised about the use of AI in Palworld's monster design, with speculation about whether monsters were hand-animated or AI-generated.
• 💎 A teaser for Quake 6 was subtly included in an Indiana Jones trailer, hinted by a whiteboard with '-AKE 6' and part of the Quake logo visible, sparking excitement and speculation.
• 🔴 Piranha Bytes, known for the Gothic and Elex games, has addressed reports of its potential closure, reassuring fans of their commitment to continue creating immersive worlds.
• 🗼 Capcom's implementation of a new DRM, The Enigma Protector, in some of its older Steam titles has led to review bombing, particularly for Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion.
• 🛡‍ Monster Hunter Rise has also been affected by the new DRM on Steam, leading to performance issues and preventing it from running on the Steam Deck.
• 🚨 The discussion around mods and Capcom's stance against them was reignited by a Street Fighter tournament incident involving a nude mod, leading to Capcom taking action against mod-related content online.

Q & A

What unexpected success is mentioned regarding a game in the script?

Palworld's success was unexpected, as it became one of the most played Steam games of all time, with almost 1.3 million concurrent players.

What are the concerns surrounding Palworld mentioned in the script?

Palworld faces plagiarism accusations due to similarities between its creatures and those in Pokémon, as well as doubts about the use of AI in its development process.

What did the official X-Account of Palworld report regarding its sales?

The official X-Account of Palworld reported that it sold over 3 million units in the first 40 hours after release, eventually reaching 5 million units sold.

What issue did Palworld's development studio, Pocketpair, face upon the game's release?

Pocketpair was overwhelmed by the game's success, leading to server issues due to the massive number of players.

How has Palworld been compared to Pokémon?

Palworld has been compared to Pokémon due to the strong similarities in creature design, with accusations of direct copying and plagiarism.

What hidden teaser is mentioned in the script related to a different game?

A teaser for Quake 6 was hidden in the Xbox Developer Direct segment for Indiana Jones, indicated by a whiteboard showing “-AKE 6” and part of the Quake logo.

What did Piranha Bytes comment regarding reports of their studio's closure?

Piranha Bytes acknowledged being in a difficult situation but urged fans not to write them off, expressing determination to continue creating immersive worlds.

What DRM software has Capcom implemented, and what are the consequences mentioned in the script?

Capcom implemented 'The Enigma Protector' DRM software, which prevents modification of .exe files but also hinders modding and can decrease game performance by 10-15 FPS.

What are the implications of the DRM implementation for Monster Hunter World and its Iceborn expansion?

The implementation of DRM led to review bombing on Steam, significantly lowering the positive rating of the Iceborn expansion due to discontent among the game's community.

What unique aspect of Palworld's development process is highlighted concerning monster design?

The development process of Palworld is unique in that nearly all of its 100 monsters were reportedly designed by a single student, raising suspicions about the use of AI in their creation.