Palworld — nicknamed "Pokémon with guns" — became one of the fastest-selling games in Steam history when it launched in Early Access in January 2024, crossing 25 million players in its first month. Developed by Pocket Pair, it blends creature-collecting with survival crafting, base-building, and multiplayer co-op. As of 2026, Palworld continues to receive major updates with new Pals, islands, and mechanics. This guide covers installation, graphics settings, dedicated server setup, and the most common problems players encounter.
System Requirements
Minimum (720p/30fps, Low settings)
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 or later (64-bit) |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-3570K / AMD Ryzen 3 3300X |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB / AMD Radeon RX 5700 |
| VRAM | 8 GB |
| Storage | 40 GB |
| DirectX | DirectX 11 |
Recommended (1080p/60fps, High settings)
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 or later (64-bit) |
| CPU | Intel Core i9-9900K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X |
| RAM | 32 GB |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT |
| VRAM | 12 GB |
| Storage | 40 GB SSD |
How to Install
Palworld is available on Steam and Xbox Game Pass (PC). The Steam and Xbox/Game Pass versions use different multiplayer systems and cannot play together cross-platform.
Steam:
- Search "Palworld" on Steam or go to the store page directly.
- Purchase and download via the Steam client.
- The game installs to ~40 GB.
Xbox Game Pass / PC Game Pass:
- Open the Xbox app.
- Search for Palworld and click Install.
- Note: Game Pass servers are separate from Steam servers. You cannot join a Steam friend's dedicated server from Game Pass without using a community crossplay workaround.
Xbox Play Anywhere: Palworld is an Xbox Play Anywhere title — one purchase on the Microsoft Store works on both Xbox and PC Game Pass. PC/Xbox crossplay within the Microsoft ecosystem is supported.
Performance Settings Guide
Palworld runs on Unreal Engine 5, which explains both its visual quality and its CPU/GPU demands. UE5 games often have unique optimization needs.
Open settings via: Main Menu or Escape → Settings → Graphics.
Recommended Settings (1080p 60fps, RTX 3060 / RX 6700 XT)
| Setting | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1920×1080 | Native |
| Window Mode | Fullscreen (Exclusive) | Best performance; avoid Borderless if fps is a priority |
| Anti-Aliasing | TSR or DLSS (if NVIDIA) | TSR is UE5's built-in temporal AA; DLSS Quality is better on NVIDIA cards |
| View Distance | Medium | High View Distance is very expensive on jungle/open-world biomes |
| Shadow Quality | Medium | Shadows are the #1 performance lever; High/Epic in base areas causes major drops |
| Ambient Occlusion | Medium | Epic AO is expensive; Medium gives most of the visual benefit |
| Anti-Aliasing Quality | High | If using TSR |
| Motion Blur | Off | Standard preference for most players |
| Bloom | On | Cheap, contributes to atmosphere |
| Lumen (Global Illumination) | Off or Software Lumen | Hardware Lumen (RTX-based) is beautiful but costs 15–25fps on most mid-range GPUs; Software Lumen is a good middle ground |
| Reflections | Screen Space | Lumen reflections are expensive; SSR is adequate |
| Foliage Quality | Medium | Dense jungle areas with High foliage tank fps |
| Post Processing | Medium | Mostly cinematic effects; Medium is fine |
| Texture Quality | High | Ultra textures need 10+ GB VRAM to avoid hitching |
| Effects Quality | Medium | Explosion/ability effects; Medium does not look significantly worse |
| Grass Density | Medium | Low grass looks sparse; Medium is balanced |
Lumen — Should You Enable It?
Lumen is Unreal Engine 5's real-time global illumination system. It makes lighting and reflections far more realistic and dynamic.
Hardware Lumen (full quality): Requires DXR-capable GPU (NVIDIA RTX 20+ or AMD RX 6000+). Costs 15–25fps at 1080p on mid-range cards. Worth it on RTX 4070+ class hardware with DLSS enabled.
Software Lumen (fallback path): Works on any DX11 GPU. Less accurate than hardware Lumen but far better than no Lumen. Costs ~8–12fps at 1080p.
No Lumen: Fastest. Lighting is baked and flat-looking, especially indoors and in forests. Recommended for GTX 1070/RX 5700 class GPUs.
Recommendation by GPU:
- RTX 4070 and above: Hardware Lumen + DLSS Quality
- RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT: Software Lumen + DLSS/FSR Quality
- GTX 1070 / RX 5700: No Lumen, use Medium shadows, FSR Quality
DLSS, FSR, and TSR
Palworld uses UE5's built-in upscaling pipeline.
DLSS (NVIDIA RTX):
- Settings → Anti-Aliasing → DLSS.
- Use Quality at 1080p, Balanced if you need more fps at 1440p.
- DLSS is significantly better than TSR for sharpness on NVIDIA hardware.
FSR 2 (any GPU):
- Available as an alternative upscaling path.
- FSR Quality at 1080p gives a clean image with 20–40% fps gain.
- Useful for AMD GPU owners and NVIDIA GTX owners (no DLSS access).
TSR (Temporal Super Resolution — UE5 built-in):
- Works on all GPUs.
- Between FSR and DLSS in quality.
- Good default if you don't have DLSS.
Base Area Lag
Base performance is a common complaint in Palworld. Your base with many working Pals, crafting machines, and storage can drop fps significantly compared to open-world exploration.
Why it happens: Each active Pal is its own AI agent running pathfinding and task assignment. Bases with 20 working Pals, 15 crafting stations, and complex storage layouts create significant CPU load.
Tips to improve base performance:
- Reduce Shadow Quality to Low when inside/near your base.
- Reduce View Distance — most of the fps cost in bases is shadow draws from many small objects.
- Consolidate your base layout — a compact base runs better than a sprawling one.
- Limit active Pals at your base to what's needed. 15 active Pals is often better than 20 if you don't need the extra throughput.
- Turn off Ambient Occlusion inside dense base structures.
Multiplayer & Dedicated Servers
Palworld supports co-op for up to 32 players on dedicated servers (4 players on non-dedicated / peer-to-peer co-op).
Peer-to-peer co-op (easiest):
- In-game → Multiplayer → Join Multiplayer Game → enter host's IP.
- Or use Steam's invite system.
- Host's performance determines server performance for all players.
- Max 4 players peer-to-peer with reasonable performance.
Official servers (in-game matchmaking):
- Listed under Multiplayer → Server Browser.
- Official servers are maintained by Pocket Pair; performance varies by region.
Dedicated server (Steam, free):
- Install via Steam → Tools → "Palworld Dedicated Server" (free separate tool).
- Configure
PalWorldSettings.inifor player count, difficulty, day cycle, and PvP settings. - Port forward 8211 (UDP) on your router for external players.
- Running a dedicated server on the same PC as the game client requires ~8 GB RAM available just for the server process + the game itself = 32 GB system RAM minimum for smooth hosting.
Xbox/Game Pass dedicated servers:
- Available via the official Palworld Dedicated Server tool on Xbox, or community-hosted Windows servers that accept Xbox/Game Pass clients.
- Cross-platform between Xbox and PC Game Pass only.
Common Problems & Fixes
Game Crashes on Launch
- Missing Visual C++ redistributables: Install the latest from Microsoft's official site (vc_redist.x64.exe).
- Outdated GPU drivers: Update to the latest driver. Palworld patches can break compatibility with drivers older than 3–4 months.
- Antivirus blocking files: Add Palworld to your antivirus exclusion list.
- Verify files: Steam → Library → Palworld → Properties → Local Files → Verify integrity.
FPS Drops and Stuttering (General)
- Palworld uses shader compilation on first launch. The first 20–30 minutes may stutter as shaders compile; this is normal and clears up.
- Enable DLSS or FSR if not already using them.
- Set Windows Power Plan to High Performance (Search → Power & sleep settings → Additional power settings).
- Close background apps consuming RAM — Palworld benefits enormously from having ample free RAM.
"Out of Memory" / Crash After Extended Play
- Palworld has a memory leak that has been partially patched but still occurs in long sessions. If you play for 3–4+ hours, restarting the game client periodically prevents OOM crashes.
- 32 GB RAM largely eliminates this issue.
Server Not Showing in Browser / Can't Connect
- Check that port 8211 UDP is forwarded on the host's router.
- Palworld uses both Steam networking and raw UDP. Some ISPs block UDP ports — try using the direct IP method (connect by IP:8211).
- Firewall on the host PC must allow inbound connections on port 8211.
Pals Not Working at Base
- This is usually an AI pathfinding issue. Common fixes: rebuild the base layout (remove and replace crafting stations), assign Pals manually, or log out and log back in to reset Pal state.
- Pals get "stuck" after crashes or mid-session reconnects. The fastest fix is to drop all base Pals to the Pal Box and re-assign.
Controller Not Working
- Palworld has good Xbox controller support out of the box.
- For DualSense/DualShock, use Steam Input (enable it in Steam's game settings for Palworld) or install DS4Windows.
- If joystick input feels sluggish, check Steam's controller deadzone settings in Steam Input.
Game Pass vs Steam — Which to Choose?
| Factor | Steam | Xbox Game Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$30 one-time (or less on sale) | Included in Game Pass |
| Crossplay | Steam friends only | Xbox/PC Game Pass ecosystem |
| Mods | Full Nexus Mods support | Limited (mod support less mature) |
| Save ownership | Yours permanently | Tied to active subscription |
| Updates | Same as Xbox version | Same schedule |
Recommendation: If you already have Game Pass and want to try Palworld casually, use Game Pass. If you want mods, permanent ownership, or plan to run a dedicated server, buy on Steam.
Mod Support
Palworld has growing mod support via Nexus Mods and the Pal Mod Loader tool.
Popular mods:
- Increased stack sizes — carry more items per slot.
- Reduced crafting costs — faster progression for solo players.
- No build restrictions — remove base placement limits.
- Custom Pal spawns — change which Pals appear in each biome.
- UI improvements — map markers, inventory sorting.
Important: Mods are client-side for most content, but using them on an official server may violate Pocket Pair's TOS. Use mods on private dedicated servers only to stay safe.
FAQ
Is Palworld finished? Still in Early Access? As of 2026, Palworld continues to receive major content updates. It launched in Early Access in January 2024 and remains in active development; a full 1.0 release date has not been confirmed as of this writing.
Can I play Palworld solo? Yes — Palworld is fully playable in single-player offline mode. All content is accessible solo.
How many Pals are in the game? The base game launched with ~110 Pals. Major updates have expanded the roster significantly. Check the official Palworld website for the current count.
Does Palworld have PvP? Yes — PvP is available on dedicated servers. Server hosts configure PvP rules in PalWorldSettings.ini.
Is Palworld CPU or GPU heavy? Both. Open-world exploration is more GPU-bound. Base areas with active Pals are CPU-bound. Palworld performs best on CPUs with strong single-core performance (Intel 12th/13th gen, AMD Ryzen 5000/7000 series).
Can my 8 GB RAM PC run Palworld? The minimum spec says 16 GB. On 8 GB, the game will launch but expect very frequent crashes, especially with base complexity. Upgrade RAM or run with minimal base activity.
Does Palworld run on Linux? Yes — Palworld runs via Steam on Linux with Proton. Use Proton Experimental for best compatibility. Check ProtonDB for user reports on your specific hardware.
Is Palworld available on Mac? No official Mac version exists as of 2026.