Pocketpair announces Palworld Side by Side update for Winter 2026

Pocketpair has announced a major upcoming update for the survival crafting game Palworld, titled ‘Side by Side’, scheduled for release in Winter 2026. The announcement coincided with the results of the Palworld Global Popularity Poll 2026, which saw increased participation compared to the previous year.

In the Pal category, Sekhmet was voted the most popular with 49,637 votes, followed by Solenne and Chillet. In the character category, Zoe secured first place, followed by Auri and Saya.

Teaser imagery for the ‘Side by Side’ update features silhouettes resembling the top three characters—Zoe, Auri, and Saya—leading to community speculation that the update may allow players to team up with these faction leaders. Pocketpair’s head of publishing and communications, John ‘Bucky’ Buckley, previously noted that the update aims to deliver highly requested features while avoiding a November release window to steer clear of major industry competition.