Palworld launched on two ecosystems, Steam and the Microsoft Store / Xbox, and crossplay between them has been the single most asked question since day one. Here is where it stands in 2026 and what it means if you want to run a server.
Which platforms does Palworld run on?
- Steam (PC)
- Microsoft Store (PC)
- Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One
- PlayStation 5
That spread is why crossplay matters so much: friends rarely all buy the same version.
The crossplay situation
At launch, the Steam build and the Xbox/Microsoft Store build could not play together, and dedicated servers were Steam-only. Pocketpair has spent the post-launch updates closing that gap, expanding cross-platform play and Xbox dedicated-server support over successive patches.
Because Palworld is still actively updated, the safest rule is simple: everyone in a session should be on the same game version. Cross-version mismatches, not platform alone, are the usual reason a join fails. Before a big session, confirm everyone has updated.
Why a dedicated server is the reliable answer
If you want a world that is always online and easy for a mixed group to join, a dedicated server beats player-hosting every time:
- It stays online when the host logs off
- It holds a stable address everyone connects to
- It handles the full 32-player cap without a host PC buckling
- It exposes the REST API and full config so you control rates, PvP, and capture settings
- It keeps server-side backups of your save
Player-hosted co-op caps out fast and ties the world to one person's PC and connection. A dedicated server removes that bottleneck entirely.
What a 32-player Palworld server needs
Palworld is memory-hungry. Pocketpair's requirements page lists 16GB, adds "Recommended for larger than 32GB", and says 8GB "is also bootable, but increases the possibility of server crashes due to out of memory." So 8GB can carry a small private world while it is fresh, and a busy public server with lots of bases and Pals wants 16GB or more. Single-thread CPU performance matters because much of the simulation is not heavily multi-threaded, and NVMe storage keeps the frequent autosaves from stalling everyone.
Our Palworld server hosting runs from 8GB (LAMBALL, from EUR 10.20/mo) to 48GB (NECROMUS), and PALADIUS at 32GB is the plan we point a full 32-player lobby at. Every plan comes with NVMe SSD, DDoS protection, REST API access and automatic setup on an AMD Ryzen 9. The exact chip depends on the region you pick: 3900X-class in the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Canada and India, 7950X3D in the USA, and 5950X in Singapore and Australia.
Bottom line
Palworld spans Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation, and Pocketpair has steadily widened cross-platform play since launch. Keep everyone on the same version, and run a dedicated server if you want a stable world your whole group can reach.
Want a server that just works? → View Space-Node Palworld hosting plans. 8GB to 48GB, from EUR 10.20/mo, up to 32 players, REST API and NVMe SSD included.