Palworld is getting a new update called Side by Side, and it's due to release in Winter 2026.
That comes from a new press release by Pocketpair, which confirms the news without revealing much else. At the time of writing, all we have to share is an image with three different Pals blacked out. Pocketpair, meanwhile, asks you to "stay tuned for further updates on what this new content will bring."
Amusingly, in the same press release, Pocketpair also reveals the results of a recent popularity poll. I don't need to tell you who won that one, because I'd wager you already know, but for the sake of completeness, Sekmet came first, while Solene and Chillet came after. There were 280 Pals and in-game characters to vote on, and the resulting lists were split between Pals and non-Pals. If you're curious who the most popular non-Pals are, that'd be Zoe, Auri, and Saya, in that order.
While we know little else about what's to come for Palworld, head of publishing and communications John "Bucky" Buckley has been doing the media rounds of late to talk about the developer's overall approach to content. Just recently, he said that the team isn't going to "release 100 new Pals with the next update" as the belief at the studio is that "every Pal should have something" memorable. As such, I wouldn't expect Side by Side to feature heaps of new pocket pals. No wonder the image only features the three of 'em.
Oh, and if covering Palworld over the years has taught me anything, don't expect any underwater biome action. It isn't happening, as Bucky is often keen to stress.
