"A lot of these things are actually not made by us," Palworld lead explains following card game launch and MMO reveal

In the past fortnight Pocketpair rolled out three major Palworld milestones: the 1.0 launch that attracted a record‑high concurrent player count, the release of a collectible card game, and the reveal of Palworld Online, a mobile‑only MMORPG. John “Bucky” Buckley used Twitter to explain that the studio’s involvement ends at licensing the IP; Krafton is handling the mobile adaptation and Garena is developing the MMO, while Pocketpair continues to build its core titles—Palworld, Craftopia, Palfarm and More Than Just Pals—and runs its own publishing arm. By emphasizing that the company remains “100 % self‑owned and self‑funded,” Buckley signals that the financial risk stays with Pocketpair even as it outsources production, a model that lets it expand the franchise without diluting its balance sheet.

The move mirrors a broader industry pattern where indie‑origin studios leverage licensing to scale popular IPs across platforms. Similar to how Epic Games licenses Fortnite skins to third parties or how CD Projekt outsources mobile versions of its flagship titles, Pocketpair is turning Palworld into a multi‑medium brand while keeping creative control over the core game. Partnering with heavyweight publishers such as Krafton—renowned for PUBG Mobile—and Garena—dominant in Southeast Asian online services—gives Palworld instant access to established distribution networks and live‑ops expertise, potentially accelerating user acquisition far beyond what Pocketpair could achieve alone.

Looking ahead, the success of Palworld Online will hinge on how well Garena integrates the franchise’s distinctive “cute‑but‑violent” aesthetic into a sustainable MMO economy, and whether Krafton can translate the console‑style experience to mobile without alienating the original fanbase. Any misstep in live‑service management or monetisation could reflect back on Pocketpair’s brand, despite the contractual separation. Observers should monitor player retention metrics for the mobile title, community response to the card game’s balance, and the timeline for Palworld Online’s beta, as these will indicate whether the licensing strategy is delivering growth or merely fragmenting the audience.