Palworld is a new action-adventure survival game, available on Windows computers (e.g. via Steam) and XBOX Consoles. Early access to the game was made available in January 2024, meaning it is currently playable as an unfinished version ahead of its full release.
Palworld sold eight million units in the first six days of early access, and reached two million players on Steam, making it the second-highest played game of all time on the platform.
How old does my child have to be to play Palworld?
It has a PEGI age rating of 12 due to Moderate Violence and Mild Swearing.
This PEGI rating only takes into account the content in the game and not the contact element, where players may be exposed to swearing and offensive language from strangers in voice or on-screen text chat.
How do you play Palword?
Many people have commented on the similarities between Palworld’s gameplay and the gameplay of the Pokémon series. In Palworld, players battle creatures called Pals to weaken them, so that they can then catch them in ‘Pal Spheres.’ Once caught, Pals can be summoned to battle for the player.
Pals can be used in battle to help weaken and capture other Pals. In contrast to Pokémon’s gameplay, however, the player can also weaken Pals using a variety of weapons, such as spears, swords, bows, guns and grenades. The game has frequently been described as “Pokémon with guns.”
The player can also use and treat their Pals in a variety of different ways. For example, you can breed your Pals, and they can be left at bases to work for you, to scavenge, craft, and cook. Pals can also be killed and butchered so that they can be used for their meat. Human characters can also be collected in ‘Pal Spheres’ and then butchered in this way.
Gameplay also includes battling a range of other enemies, such as a crime syndicate, a Pal liberation movement, and a police force.
Safety considerations about Palworld
Inappropriate content
Palworld has a PEGI age rating of 12. The cute characters and visuals of the gameplay may initially make Palworld look like a child-friendly game, but it does contain bad language and moderate violence.
Weapons, like swords and guns, can be used to attack Pals and enemies, and even set them on fire. However, there is no visible blood in the game, and some violent actions are blurred out so that you cannot see what is happening in detail.
Players have a lot of choice in the game and can decide how they are going to play. Some of these possible choices may be considered less ethical than others, such as deliberately mistreating their Pals, butchering them and human characters, and poaching ‘endangered species’ of Pals.
Interacting with other players
Although players can play Palworld by themselves, they can also play with others online. For example, players are able to battle or trade with each other. They can also directly interact and communicate with each other, using either the in-game chat feature or voice chat.
One risk of being able to play the game with others online is that they may be exposed to offensive language that would otherwise not be present in a PEGI 12 game. Players may also say unkind and hurtful things. Talk to your child about the importance of reporting and blocking abusive players, and talking to a trusted adult if someone online upsets them. If a report is made about a player but that report isn’t dealt with effectively, you can then report it to Report Harmful Content.
It is also important that your child interacts with people that they only know online in a safe way. For example, the conversation should always be about the game, and they should not share any personal information with that other player, such as their real name, where they live, where they go to school, contact details, etc.
Your child should know that they must tell a trusted adult straight away if they are ever asked for the following things by an online only friend: too much personal information; pictures or videos of themselves, or to go on a livestream; to move the conversation to another channel, such as WhatsApp; or to meet up in person. If your child tells you about communication like this, you can report that player in the game and to CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection).
Deciding if Palworld is right for your child
Overall, younger players may find some of this content upsetting or make them feel uncomfortable. You can research the game further on The Family Gaming Database to see if you think it is suitable for your child to play. If you decide that this game is not suitable for your child, this website can also offer you more age-appropriate alternatives, such as games in the Pokémon series and Cassette Beasts. Once the game has been fully released, you may also be able to read more about what content you might expect to see in the game on Common Sense Media.
If you have decided that the game is not suitable for your child to play, it’s important to have an open conversation with them about why you have come to this decision. So that your child doesn’t feel like this restriction will be in place forever, it can also be a good idea to explain to them when you would be willing to reassess this (e.g. at what age). You can find out more information about setting up parental controls on Internet Matters, which will help you restrict what your child can access.
