Palworld: Better on Steam Due to Certification Delays

Palworld’s Popularity and Steam Performance

The game Palworld, which has quickly become a sensation, achieving an impressive milestone of 4 million sales within just three days of its release, offers a superior Palworld Steam performance compared to other platforms. Despite its widespread popularity, players have noted that the game offers a superior experience on Steam compared to other platforms. This discrepancy is largely attributed to certification issues that have affected the game’s performance on platforms such as the Microsoft Store and Game Pass.

Certification Challenges

The versions of Palworld on Steam and Xbox are not identical, leading to confusion among players regarding missing features. The game’s developer, Pocketpair, has identified two core issues contributing to the differences. The first issue stems from Microsoft’s unique architecture, particularly on Xbox, which also seems to affect the Microsoft Store and Game Pass versions to some extent. The second issue involves specific problems, such as the absence of an ‘exit game’ button, which are not related to using an older build but are separate concerns.

The certification process required by Microsoft has put the developers in a challenging position, as they strive to expedite the release of updates and hotfixes. While a hotfix might be applied swiftly on Steam, the same update could be delayed on Xbox due to it being queued for Microsoft’s certification. This has resulted in a slower response to issues and updates for the Xbox version of the game.

Cross-Platform Save Features

The cross-platform save feature between Xbox and PC Game Pass for Palworld suggests that both platforms are running the same version of the game. This feature is significant for players who wish to maintain their progress across different devices. However, it also means that any issues present in one version will likely affect the other.

Players have observed various issues due to the lack of version parity, including a smaller server size and differences in menus when comparing the Game Pass version to the Steam version. These discrepancies have led some players to switch from Game Pass to Steam to avoid these problems and enjoy a more stable gaming experience.

Recommendations for Players

For those looking to dive into the world of Palworld, the current recommendation is to play on Steam for the best experience. The developer, Pocketpair, has expressed their goal to achieve platform parity, meaning they aim to bring the Steam and Xbox versions to the same level of performance and feature availability. However, this objective is contingent on the full compatibility of crossplay, which remains a work in progress. Until then, players may find that Steam offers a more polished and up-to-date version of the game.

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