Pocket Pair has released Palworld update 0.5 – the biggest update since the early access launch. Here's our rundown of the most important changes for server owners.
The Biggest New Features in Palworld 0.5
Xbox/Steam Crossplay
The long-awaited crossplay between Xbox Game Pass and Steam is now live! Players on both platforms can play on the same dedicated servers.
For server owners: No configuration changes needed – crossplay works automatically on all dedicated servers.
10 New Pals
Update 0.5 introduces 10 new Pals with unique abilities:
| Pal | Type | Special Trait |
|---|---|---|
| Frostallion Noct | Dark/Ice | Reworked mount system |
| Shadowbeak variant | Dark | Improved attack patterns |
| Jetragon-Rex | Dragon | New fusion system |
| + 7 more | Various | Found in the new biomes |
New Fusion System
Pals can now be fused with each other to create stronger, hybrid Pals. The system requires special fusion items found in new dungeons.
Impact on servers: The fusion system is resource-intensive. If it sees heavy use, we recommend a RAM upgrade to at least 6 GB.
New Biome: Frozen Wastes
A new endgame biome has been added in the northwest of the map:
- Extreme temperatures require new gear
- New resources: Permafrost Crystal, Glacial Metal
- 3 new bosses
- 4 new dungeons
Improved Server Stability
Pocket Pair has put massive work into server performance:
- Memory leak fixed – servers run significantly longer without restarts
- Improved chunk loading – less lag while exploring
- Boss spawn fix – world bosses now spawn correctly on all server seeds
- Fewer disconnects – especially during fusions
Server Configuration for 0.5
Recommended Update Procedure
- Create a backup before applying the update (the world format has changed!)
- In the control panel → Versions → select 0.5.x
- Restart the server (the first start takes about 3–5 minutes for world migration)
- Test the connection
New Configuration Options
PalWorldSettings.ini has received new fields:
; Enable/disable the fusion system
bEnablePalFusion=True
; Allow the new biome
bEnableFrozenWastes=True
; Anti-exploit for new items
bEnableAntiCheat=True
RAM Recommendations After 0.5
The update slightly increases RAM usage due to the fusion system and the new biomes:
| Players | Before | Now recommended |
|---|---|---|
| 1–8 | 4 GB | 4 GB (unchanged) |
| 8–16 | 6 GB | 6–8 GB |
| 16+ | 8 GB | 10–12 GB |
Known Issues in 0.5.0
Pocket Pair is working on fixes for:
- Fused Pals sometimes lose abilities after a server restart
- The Frozen Wastes boss can fall through walls in rare cases
- Crossplay does not work on private servers with a password enabled on Xbox
Crossplay workaround: Temporarily disable the password and restrict access via an IP list.
A hotfix 0.5.1 is expected shortly.
Conclusion
Palworld 0.5 is a game-changer of an update. The fusion system and crossplay open up whole new possibilities. Server owners should definitely create a backup before updating and keep an eye on RAM usage.