Palworld 1.0 Server Preparation Guide

Palworld 1.0 — Dedicated Server Prep Guide

Pocketpair has confirmed Palworld will exit Early Access and release version 1.0 in 2026. The game is currently at v0.6.5, with the team focused on bug fixes and polish before the final release. If you're running a dedicated server — whether for a private group or a public community — now is the time to prepare. This guide covers what changes, what stays the same, and what to do right now.

What Changes at 1.0

Pocketpair has been transparent about their 1.0 focus:

• Bug fixes and technical polish are the primary goal before release — not new content additions
• A "massive content expansion" has been mentioned as part of 1.0, alongside system overhauls and new narrative elements
• Enhanced Pal behaviors are planned as part of the update
• No confirmed breaking changes to the dedicated server config format — updates have been additive so far

Crossplay on Dedicated Servers — Current State

As of v0.5.0, full crossplay is active across all platforms on the same dedicated server:

Crossplay is enabled by default on dedicated servers. No configuration is needed to allow cross-platform players — they can join using your server's IP and port as normal.

If you want to restrict to a single platform (e.g., Steam-only), see the Palworld crossplay configuration guide.

Multiplayer Rule Change for Crime & NPCs

A notable quality-of-life fix already live: Police NPCs targeting wanted players now only deal damage to the targeted player and their guild, not to all nearby players. This prevents griefing where a wanted player could drag police damage onto innocent server members. No config change required — it's automatic.

Save File Compatibility Between Patches

Palworld has maintained good save compatibility across EA updates. Based on the v0.5 and v0.6 track record:

• Dedicated server world saves should carry forward to 1.0 without a reset
• Player Pal boxes and base buildings have been preserved across every major patch to date
• No official guarantee exists until the 1.0 changelog is published — maintain backups

Preparation Steps to Take Now

1. Verify Your PalWorldSettings.ini Is Clean

Over multiple updates, deprecated settings can accumulate. Compare your current config against the defaults to remove obsolete keys that may interfere with 1.0's config parser:

# Default config location
/path/to/Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini

Keep a dated backup of your current config before each update. If 1.0 changes the config format, you'll want to diff against your last known-good version.

2. Set Up Automated Backups

The 1.0 update will be the largest patch Palworld has received. Take a full world backup immediately before applying it. A simple cron backup:

#!/bin/bash
# Run before each update
DATE=$(date +%Y-%m-%d_%H%M)
cp -r /path/to/Pal/Saved/ /path/to/backups/palworld_$DATE/

3. Update SteamCMD App ID Reference

Palworld dedicated server uses App ID 2394010 (not the game's app ID):

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

4. Monitor the Official Channels

Pocketpair announces updates via:

• Steam Community → Palworld announcements
• The official Palworld Discord (#server-admin channel)
• SteamDB patch notes for App 2394010

Set up a Steam notification or RSS feed for the dedicated server app so you're not caught off-guard by a version mismatch between clients and your server.

Hardware Sizing for 1.0

With a "massive content expansion" planned, 1.0 will likely increase world simulation complexity. Current recommendations for a smooth experience:

Palworld is CPU-bound on the main thread — clock speed matters more than core count for small servers. NVMe storage significantly reduces world save/load times as worlds grow.

Related Guides

• Palworld Crossplay Configuration
• Crossplay Troubleshooting
• Dedicated Server Setup
• Palworld Wiki Home