Developer Pocketpair finally released its "Pokémon with guns" survival game Palworld last week. The game has been building hype for a few years with goofy trailers, and the developers have been rewarded with exceptionally good early sales numbers. In fact, Palworld has been setting records all over Steam this weekend, hitting over 1 million concurrent players on the platform. With all of those players in the game, it's no surprise that some of them are noticing several of the fun references Pocketpair snuck into its world. One of the games with the most Easter eggs in Palworld is Elden Ring, another top seller from a few years ago.

I can't stop thinking about these churches in Palworld. I mean, yes, sure, this an obvious Elden Ring reference. But also. Religion in Palworld. Palworld religion. The First Church of King Lucario the Eternal. What do I even do with this. pic.twitter.com/9CZIgfFnDW

— Nat Smith 🦝 (@stottybairn) January 19, 2024

It's no surprise to see Palworld taking elements from Elden Ring and paying homage to the hit game from developer FromSoftware. After all, some would say that's Palworld's entire gimmick given how much influence Pokémon has had on Pocketpair. That said, it is kind of surprising to see how often players are noticing things in Palworld that reference Elden Ring.

You can see one of the first instances above showing off one of the dilapidated structures found in Palworld. Not only does it look sneakily like some of the churches players come across in Elden Ring, but it also means religion might exist in Palworld. That could be something the team explores down the line as the game works through its early access period, but it's probably just going to be an Easter egg. That said, Palworld does include all kinds of weird design choices, so you never know what Pocketpair is going to cook up next.

Fans have also found an area that looks exactly like an Evergaol from Elden Ring. In that game, those functioned as portals to another world where a specific boss was kept under lock and key. Palworld could do something similar with raid bosses, but that would have to come in a future update.

Another person took a photo of another dilapidated building, though this one is more than just a church reference. Around the building, you'll notice how everything looks dead. The ground and trees are both reddish-brown, seemingly signifying that players are in for a brutal experience if they enter those lands. The player pointed out how much this looks like Caelid, a region in Elden Ring that is known for being oppressive in the early game. While these are all just references to another hugely successful game, it'll be interesting to pay attention to Palworld's early access period and see if Elden Ring's design plays any part in what Pocketpair cooks up next.

How Long Will Palworld Be in Early Access?
Palworld doesn't have a release date for its 1.0 version just yet. On Steam, the developers say that the game will be in early access for at least a year. However, they also note, "Depending on the progress of development, we may consider extending early access or if we are satisfied with the state of the game, officially releasing the game."

In short, players can expect the team to continue actively developing the game throughout 2024. The game might be released in 2025, but Pocketpair's other relatively high-profile game, Craftopia, has been in early access since 2020. That game is not nearly as successful as Palworld, so the team may opt to switch more developers over to the monster-catcher to get it out sooner. Palworld is out now for Xbox Series X/S and PC. You can download the latest Palworld Cheats and trainers for free from WeMod.

Posted: Jan 26, 2024 1:33 pm
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/palworld-elden-ring-references-xbox-pc/