PlayStation Plus drops bonus free offering on PS5 with Pokémon rival Palworld

Palworld, the popular Pokémon rival and open-world RPG, is free to try on PS5 right now for some PlayStation Plus subscribers. If you’ve been tempted to see what the hugely popular monster-collecting game is all about, there’s never been a better time to jump into Palworld and experience it for yourself.

Palworld, developed and published by indie studio Pocketpair, first launched in Early Access in January 2024 before officially leaving Early Access with its Version 1.0 update in July 2026.

Palworld is an open-world survival RPG that takes inspiration from Pokémon with its creature collecting, training and battling, while also incorporating crafting and survival mechanics reminiscent of games such as Minecraft. Unlike Pokémon, however, Palworld features robust online multiplayer, allowing players to team up with friends to explore, build and survive together, or turn against each other and become fierce rivals.

Play Palworld for free with PS Plus

This week, a new PlayStation Plus Premium trial for Palworld launched, giving subscribers the perfect opportunity to try the popular survival RPG for free and decide whether it’s worth spending their hard-earned cash on.

PlayStation Plus Game Trials can vary significantly in length, with some lasting less than an hour and others offering up to five hours of gameplay. The Palworld trial sits somewhere in the middle, giving players a generous two hours to experience the full game.

During the two-hour Palworld trial, you’ll have full access to the game, can unlock trophies and, best of all, your save data will carry over to the full game if you decide to purchase it. There’s also an added incentive to take the plunge, as Palworld is currently 30% off on the PlayStation Store until September 9, 2026.

READ MORE: Pokémon rival Palworld unveils 'incredible' content update as it surpasses 40 million players

What’s the story of Palworld?

Palworld does have a story to follow, albeit a subtle one. A focus on the narrative takes a backseat, with its main emphasis being its open-world survival gameplay. Players can explore the Palpagos Islands, battle powerful bosses and uncover the mysteries surrounding the world and its Pals along the way.

Screenshot of Palworld, Pocketpair

Palworld devs have gone to war with Nintendo

In September 2024, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company sued Pocketpair, alleging that Palworld infringed several patents relating to gameplay mechanics. While the legal dispute remains ongoing, Pocketpair has since changed some of Palworld’s mechanics, including how Pals are summoned and how players can use them to glide through the world.

Claims of intellectual property infringement are always an interesting conversation, particularly in an industry where games have been building upon existing ideas for decades.

Pokémon itself has often been compared to Dragon Quest, with Dragon Quest V's monster-recruitment system frequently cited as an influence on Pokémon's creature-collecting concept. Meanwhile, Akira Toriyama's distinctive artwork for Dragon Quest has also been noted as an influence on the visual style of early Pokémon artwork.

Palworld is out now on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.