Five months after its release, Palworld is finally getting a massive update: the Sakurajima update. With a release date of June 27th, developer Pocketpair released a trailer and details on what we can expect.
This article covers everything you need to know about the new Palworld add-ons, including its new island, new raid, and new Pals.
When Is The Sakurajima Palworld Update Release Date?
Palworld launched in early access this January, releasing with its base island, over 130 Pals to battle and catch, and a level cap of 50.
The Sakurajima update adds a ton of new content to the Palworld game — a much-needed change, as hardcore players will undoubtedly have discovered everything in the survival game by now.
The update has a release date of June 27th, though some players (mainly content creators) will have early access to it. However, those players can only get early access if they play on Steam. Xbox players will have to wait for the Sakurajima update’s full release toward the end of June, or they can buy the Steam version and try to get in early.
Does The Sakurajima Update Introduce A New Island?
Palworld is getting a new island in this update. The Sakurajima island is Japanese-themed, as made apparent by the trailer littered with Torii gates, cherry blossoms, and pagodas.
Alongside such beautiful imagery appears to be a mushroom-filled swamp, a new desert area, and an oil rig. That last setting seems like a strange addition when contrasted against Palworld’s forests, volcanos, and beaches, but it’s sure to introduce some variety into the world.
Does The Sakurajima Update Introduce New Pals?
The summer update is adding quite a few new Pals for you and your friends to interact with.
Clawed Pal
One new Pal is set with powerful-looking claws ready to swipe at any enemy in sight.
Mimic Pal
Another creature is a treasure chest turned real — probably a mimic-like Pal that will surprise you while searching for loot.
Ghost-like Pal
A third new beast is a ghost-like creature with flaming arms. It’s one of Palworld’s scariest beasts yet, and it can teleport!
Subspecies galore
The trailer also revealed a few Pal subspecies. For those unaware, a subspecies is an alternate form of a base Pal. Subspecies often come in different colors than their normal Pal and might have a different elemental type or new abilities.
New alpha Pals
Finally, while the trailer doesn’t directly mention new alpha Pals, we can be sure that a new island will introduce new boss creatures to go after. I’m sure we’ll see a new alpha Pal or two come the end of June.
We’re sure to see more Pals than were shown in this trailer, but right now, there’s not much more to go on regarding wild creatures. We don’t even have names for the Pals yet, but at least we know what they look like!
What New Features Does The Sakurajima Update Introduce?
June’s updates will bring with it a slew of new features and mechanics. Let’s break down what we know so far.
An Arena
The Arena is an entirely new mechanic in Palworld. Details on the addition are sparse, but we can surmise from the trailer that it involves two (or more) Pal trainers battling with a team of their three best Pals.
Whether or not this will include PvP matchmaking or if it’s limited to your server is yet to be seen, but perhaps the Arena is the best place to duke it out with your friends.
Increased level cap
By now, dedicated Palworld adventurers will have hit the game’s cap on multiple files. Fortunately, the update introduces a higher level cap and, we can assume, new technologies to unlock as a result. We will see more news on this before the update’s release.
New buildings
Along with the island’s Japanese-styled nature, the Sakurajima update brings Japanese-inspired buildings.
While the game’s previously included buildings were more survival-themed, this trailer shows us a Japanese house. Further details are yet to be seen, but we can assume other structures will have a similar theme.
New raid
Palworld implemented its first raid boss in April, and we’re already seeing another one with this new update.
New faction boss
Palworld has multiple factions, including the Rayne Syndicate and the Brothers of the Eternal Pyre. We’ve yet to see many plot elements from these factions, but the Sakurajima update’s new faction (and boss) may present a new story angle.
Xbox dedicated servers
Steam players have enjoyed dedicated servers since Palworld’s launch. Xbox version players have not had that luxury, however. That said, Palworld’s latest update finally brings Xbox dedicated servers, which we can assume also applies to PC players via the Xbox launcher.
Oil rig stronghold
Finally, this update introduces a new stronghold — an oil rig — for players to take on. This stronghold involves taking down an extensive set of enemy poachers and will likely require intense coordination with your team to succeed.
Of course, we can expect fixed bugs and other quality-of-life additions later this summer. While Pocketpair has been adamant about their game’s support thus far, it’s great to see them adding even more features.
We’ve not seen anything about eggs or breeding, nor has the team written anything about new weapons or armor. Hopefully, we’ll get updates on even more features soon.
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Max is a freelance writer with a love for gaming and technology. He’s always looking for the next big game to play and tinkers with tech in his remaining free time.
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