[Photo] Master! Please, anything but the prison...! Palworld at ChinaJoy

[포토] 주인님! 제발 감옥만은...! 팰월드의 차이나조이

gamemeca • Lyu Jong Hwa 게임메카 류종화 기자 2025.08.01 23:00 UTC+9

AI Summary

Palworld returned to ChinaJoy 2025 with a cheerful stage show. The contrast between the happy mascot costumes and the game's harsh lore was haunting. Behind the scenes at the merchandise shop, signs of the game's darker side were still lingering.

Palworld has made a return to ChinaJoy this year, following its appearance last year. Given its massive popularity in China and the studio's desire to expand the IP regardless of the ongoing legal spat with Nintendo, the team went all-in on stage events and merchandise to keep the momentum going. However, considering the game’s core loop of treating Pals as literal combat fodder or forced labour, the cheerful atmosphere at the Palworld booth at ChinaJoy 2025 feels oddly unsettling. One has to wonder: are those seemingly happy Pals actually happy, or is it all for show?

▲ The Palworld booth at ChinaJoy 2025 (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ A lone Cattiva stands motionless on the empty stage (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Then, the music kicks in... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ It starts wiggling its body, dancing with what looks like desperate enthusiasm (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ As we were busy taking in the Cattiva's dance routine... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ A rather tardy Chillet arrives on stage (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ "Are you mad? What took you so long?" / "No, I was just... totally exhausted..." (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ The two Pals continue to dance for their lives, quite literally (Video courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ And the kind trainer who was taking photos nearby... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Joins the stage to put on a performance with the Pals... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Hey you, over there! (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Why are you late? Did you already forget your place? (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Do you want to go back to pickaxe duty all day? Or perhaps you prefer a pickaxe to the head? (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Oh my, what’s happening over there? My Cattiva is such a good listener (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Regardless, the show went on until the very end (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ But that Chillet looks rather grim (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ As the Chillet shuffles off the stage... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ It looked exactly like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Word is that the Cattiva barely survived and had to undergo some 're-education'... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ Behind the Palworld booth lay the merchandise shop (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ It seemed like a peaceful enough place to hawk various goods, but... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ We caught a glimpse... of the darkness lurking behind the shop... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

▲ The Pal cage, used so heavily last year. What exactly it will be used for this year remains a dark mystery... (Image courtesy: Gamemeca)

작년에 이어 올해도 팰월드가 차이나조이를 찾았다. 중국에서 많은 인기를 얻고 있기도 하고, 닌텐도와의 소송은 별개로 IP 확장을 노리고 있기에 인지도 상승 측면에서 각종 무대 이벤트와 굿즈 판매 등을 진행했다. 다만, 팰을 전투병기나 일꾼 등으로 이용해 먹는 팰월드 세계관을 생각해 보면 차이나조이 2025 행사장의 팰월드 부스 속 밝은 분위기가 왠지 무시무시하게 느껴지기도 한다. 과연 저 행복해 보이는 팰들은 정말로 행복한걸까?