Palworld Mobile’s First Hands‑On at G‑STAR 2025: KRAFTON’s Theme Park Booth Sounds Wild—Here’s What

Palworld Mobile’s theme-park debut at G-STAR 2025 is loud-but the details are what count

This caught my attention because Palworld on phones is a big swing. The original blew up on PC/console by mashing monster collecting, survival, and base-building with unapologetic chaos. Translating that to mobile is either genius or a UX nightmare. At G-STAR 2025 (Nov 13-16, BEXCO, Busan), KRAFTON is going all-in: a theme park-style booth, an actual first public hands-on for Palworld Mobile, and the return of CAFÉ PUBG complete with donuts, dev guests, and a Digital Stamp Rally. It’s a vibe-now let’s separate spectacle from substance.

Key Takeaways

• First-ever public hands-on for Palworld Mobile, developed by PUBG STUDIOS using Pocketpair’s IP.
• Booth leans hard into immersion-Pal “Hunting” and “Capture” zones, big photo ops (Jetragon, Cattiva), mission stamps, exclusive merch.
• KRAFTON promises mobile-optimized controls and “skill-based” combat—expect changes from the PC formula.
• CAFÉ PUBG returns with themed food, a shooting zone, and developer shows featuring PUBG STUDIOS leadership.

Breaking down the announcement

KRAFTON is turning its booth into a Palworld playground: a rocket launcher-themed Pal Hunting Zone (yes, they’re channeling the game’s gleeful absurdity), a Pal Capture Zone with plush throws at moving sphere baskets, and a large photo spot headlined by fan-favorite Pals like Jetragon and Cattiva. It’s all tied together by a mission system that nets digital stamps and exclusive merch—classic convention catnip with just enough interactivity to keep queues moving.

The real news is the hands-on. Palworld Mobile is built by PUBG STUDIOS, which matters: that team understands large-scale, networked shooters, seasonal live ops, and how to make touch controls less miserable than they could be. KRAFTON says the mobile version retains core Palworld pillars—collecting and training Pals, open-world survival, and building—while adding mobile-optimized controls and a “skill-based combat system.” That phrasing suggests more intention in aiming, dodging, or active abilities rather than pure auto-fire. I’m expecting simplified building menus, radial wheels for tools, and possibly gyro support for aiming if they’re serious about skill expression.

The real questions for gamers

Cool booth, but what about the actual game? A few big unknowns will define whether Palworld Mobile is a quick theme-park ride or a platform you stick with:

• Monetization: Is it free-to-play? Gacha for Pals? Battle pass? Cosmetics-only would be ideal, but survival crafting games on mobile rarely resist resource boosters and time-skip items. If the demo UI shows premium currencies or timers, that’s your early tell.
• Controls and UI: Survival crafting and base management are fiddly. How many taps to place a workbench? Can you quickly swap between weapons, tools, and commands for Pals without pausing the action?
• Combat feel: “Skill-based” implies manual agency. Watch for aim assist options, gyro toggles, dodge or parry windows, and how Pals sync with your attacks. If it leans into ability synergies, this could actually sing on mobile.
• Performance and devices: Stable 60fps on mid-range phones is the bar. Expect aggressive LOD swaps, dynamic resolution, and capped crowds. If the build stutters during base raids, that’s a red flag.
• Cross-progression and ecosystem: No word yet on cross-save with PC/console Palworld. Separate economies are common, but a shared account would be a massive win.

KRAFTON’s pedigree helps. PUBG (and its mobile counterpart) has taught the company hard lessons in netcode, anti-cheat, matchmaking, and live events cadence. Even if a different studio handled PUBG MOBILE day-to-day, the institutional knowledge around scaling a social shooter is relevant. Palworld’s mix of PvE survival, base management, and chaotic combat is a different beast, but if PUBG STUDIOS nails session length and control flow, this could become a regular commute game rather than a novelty demo.

CAFÉ PUBG is back—fan service with potential teases

Alongside Palworld Mobile, KRAFTON is bringing back CAFÉ PUBG in the BTC Hall—a themed rest area riffing on PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS with a collab menu from Old Ferry Donut. There’s a Secret Room Shooting Zone, special events, and a stage show with PUBG STUDIOS leadership, including Director Taehyun Kim and Sangkyun Kim (Head of Dev Division). Expect a mix of community Q&A, roadmap hints, and creator segments. For hardened PUBG players, this is the spot to listen for quality-of-life changes, anti-cheat updates, or map rotations—things that actually move the needle more than branded pastries.

Why this matters now

Palworld became a cultural moment by letting players do what other monster-collectors wouldn’t. Bringing that energy to mobile could open the floodgates in regions where handheld dominates and survival builders lag behind gacha RPGs. G-STAR is the perfect stage: Korea’s biggest games show thrives on big booths and hands-on queues that generate viral clips. If the demo shows smooth building, readable UI, and honest-to-goodness skill expression in combat, KRAFTON will have exactly the kind of TikTok-friendly proof that fuels pre-registrations.

But if the build leans too hard on auto-play, timers, or fiddly menus, the crowd will clock it instantly. Palworld works because it feels unruly and player-driven. Sand that down too much for mobile and you lose the spark.

What to watch for at the booth

• Does base-building work one-handed? Quick pieces, smart snapping, and minimal submenus are key.
• Are Pals meaningfully controllable on touch? Simple command wheels beat deep submenu diving.
• Is there gyro/aim assist granularity? Competitive viability hinges on this.
• Any signs of energy systems or construction timers? That’s the monetization tell.
• How stable is the frame rate during raids and large Pal spawns?

TL;DR

KRAFTON’s G-STAR 2025 booth is a spectacle, but the Palworld Mobile hands-on is the real story. If PUBG STUDIOS delivers clean controls, readable UI, and combat that rewards skill, this could be the rare survival-builder that works on phones. If it’s swamped by timers and auto-play, expect the hype to fade by the time the donuts do.

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