Pocketpair has published the results of the Palworld Global Popularity Poll 2026 and used the same announcement to name the next content update: Palworld: Side by Side, arriving in winter 2026.
What changed: Pocketpair confirmed the poll winners and dated the next update, Palworld: Side by Side, for winter 2026. Why it matters: The poll is the clearest public signal of which Pals and characters the community actually uses, and the update name hints at co-op framing. Who should care: Active players planning a return, and anyone watching how Pocketpair sequences content after launch.
The poll winners
| Category | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pals | Sekhmet | Solenne | Chillet |
| Characters | Zoe | Auri | Saya |
Pocketpair says the poll, run in September, drew more votes than last year’s edition and points to per-language breakdowns on the dedicated results site. The full rankings are published there rather than in the announcement.
The spread is worth noting. Chillet, a Pal that has been in the game since launch, is still in the top three — that is unusual for a game that has added a significant number of Pals since. It suggests the poll is measuring affection as much as current utility, which is what a popularity poll should do but rarely achieves.
What “Side by Side” implies
Pocketpair has not described the update’s content. The name is the only signal, and it points toward co-operative or companion framing rather than a new region or a new Pal set. That reading is inference, not confirmation — the studio said only that more information is coming.
The timing matters more than the name. Winter 2026 places the update at the end of the year, roughly a year after the current content cadence, and it is the only dated item Pocketpair has put on the board.
Why the poll is a useful signal
Live-service roadmaps often reflect what the developer wants to build. A poll reflects what players already engage with. If Side by Side leans on co-op or companion mechanics, the top-three placements for Zoe, Auri and Saya are the characters most likely to appear in that framing, simply because they have the strongest existing attachment.
What is still unknown
There is no release date beyond the season, no platform breakdown, and no indication of whether the update is free. Pocketpair has also not said whether the poll results influence future Pal design.
Forward look
Side by Side arrives in winter 2026, with details expected before the season. The first concrete question is whether the update adds new Pals or focuses on systems — that distinction decides whether the poll’s top three are about to become more or less relevant.