Palworld has been out for just a week, and cheating is already a problem. Following the release of the Palworld patch (v0.1.3.0), which added “countermeasures against various cheaters and exploits,” Pocketpair stated, “We will continue to focus on security and create an environment in which everyone can play peacefully. We sincerely apologize to all players affected by this incident and thank you for your continued support of Palworld.”
According to Xyrem from the Anti-Cheat Police Department, an organization dedicated to preventing cheating in video games, cheating in Palworld “has sort of exploded, as many people are interested in cheating.” This is not surprising given Palworld’s incredible success upon its launch – selling eight million copies in just six days and becoming the second most played game of all time on Steam. Xyrem mentioned that Palworld does not have an anti-cheating system and that “everything is managed by the client.” This means players can manipulate items, speed, player’s health, and damage.
Xyrem recommended that Pocketpair modify the game’s functionality so that the client interacts with the game items in a way that reduces the potential for cheating on the server side. Xyrem stressed the importance of addressing cheating early on to prevent it from becoming uncontrollable before the PvP is added to the game. Xyrem emphasized, “I think Palworld is just getting started and it is crucial to implement these elements as soon as possible to avoid harming other players’ experience because first impressions matter a lot. It is better to address this issue before a cheating epidemic occurs.”
Palworld is already one of the biggest games of the year and one of the all-time biggest games on Steam, but it is also one of the most controversial. Pocketpair stated that their staff received death threats following accusations of “Pokémon scam,” and Nintendo quickly reacted to block a promising Pokémon mod. With a 40-year history as a slave to the video game, he only occasionally breaks free to mourn his defeats on Twitter.