Steam hit Palworld appears to be like more likely to crossover with Fortnite in the future, whereas Pokémon seemingly stays off the desk.
Again in January, Pocketpair head of publishing and communications John “Bucky” Buckley brazenly advised a crossover with Fortnite by way of a publish on social media, hoping to catch the consideration of Epic Video games. “When you ever wish to put Palworld in Fortnite simply attain out hehe 😇,” Bucky wrote — and it looks as if Epic Video games might need taken curiosity.
This week, Epic Video games was spotted including Palworld to Fortnite’s in-game survey, which generally asks gamers to price elements of the recreation, or share particulars of different video games that they had performed just lately. It is also a instrument that’s generally used to gauge curiosity in upcoming crossovers, with titles popping up earlier than crossover skins seem in-game.
Lower than 24 hours after this, Bucky mysteriously tweeted to ask Palworld followers which Pal creature they wish to see get a pores and skin at some point — with the caveat that he didn’t point out Fortnite by title, and acknowledged that his query was being requested “theoretically, hypothetically, conceptually, and spiritually,” with “completely no promise of it being realized or coming to fruition ever.”
Theoretically, hypothetically, conceptually, and spiritually…if, with completely no promise of it being realized or coming to fruition ever, but when…capital I and capital F…IF…any of the new Friends in 1.0 had been to get a pores and skin, which wouldn’t it be and what would the pores and skin be?
— Bucky | Palworld (@Bucky_cm) July 21, 2026
Nonetheless, although, it is all attention-grabbing timing. Fortnite has after all teamed up with dozens of different video games in the previous for collaborations, together with big franchises akin to Resident Evil, Avenue Fighter, God of Conflict, and Halo. Certainly, rumors abound that Fortnite’s subsequent season shall be absolutely gaming crossover-themed, with whispers from dependable Fortnite leakers that Sonic, Kingdom Hearts, and Persona are amongst these quickly to be becoming a member of the celebration.
Might Palworld pop up too? It appears seemingly. Fortnite has just lately leaned into creature accumulating gameplay with the present season’s massively standard Sprites, which gamers have been enthusiastically capturing and buying and selling, boosting the recreation’s participant numbers by a good margin. Simply this week, Fortnite additionally introduced it might be quickly highlighting player-made video games that characteristic gameplay tied to its pet-like Sidekicks — which look like one other strong gameplay risk for the way Friends might present up.
And all of this comes as Fortnite continues to crossover with just about each gaming model below the solar… aside from Nintendo. Epic Video games is known to have explored the risk of working with the Mario maker beforehand, throughout the recreation’s explosive heyday when it secured Xbox and PlayStation mascots akin to Kratos, Aloy and Grasp Chief as in-game skins. However Nintendo reportedly refused to play ball, unsure about its characters showing on rival consoles. Years later, and regardless of loads of alternatives (a Tremendous Mario Galaxy Film crossover, anybody?) Nintendo and Pokémon stay absent — maybe to Palworld’s benefit.
Palworld is presently seeing a resurgance on Steam following its massive 1.0 replace, although the query of whether or not it stays too uncomfortably near Pokémon nonetheless stays. That replace noticed a number of Pal designs quietly modified so that they not resemble Pokémon fairly as intently. Requested for touch upon the modifications by IGN, developer Pocketpair didn’t reply. At the identical time, one more Pal was launched — a large whale — that some followers consider was intently impressed by one more Pokémon.
And naturally, all of this comes amid the ongoing authorized battle between The Pokémon Firm and Pocketpair over the use of patents, which seemingly prompted the latter to make gameplay modifications as a way to nullify its claims. A judgment is predicted later this yr.
Palworld’s 1.0 launch landed earlier this month, lastly bringing the recreation out of early entry. Pocketpair stated at the time that it might not increase the recreation’s value past $29.99 as Palworld has “turn out to be a hit past our wildest desires.” That assertion seemingly displays the proven fact that greater than 40 million gamers had dipped their paws into Palworld since its early entry launch.
Our Palworld Interactive Map has been up to date for 1.0, together with Watchtower Places, so you may make positive to uncover all the pieces new. We’ve additionally bought a information to 1.0 Pal Breeding Combos and The right way to Get Hardwood, plus the Finest 1.0 Mounts to Catch in Order, and the Quickest Flying Mounts in 1.0.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You’ll be able to attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social