Summary
One of the stand-out features of the survival crafting gamePalworldis its massive map. The Palpagos Islands are home to over 100 diverse Pals, each suited to different environments. In order to catch them all, players have to journey across deserts, climb mountains, and brave deep, dark caves. The open world is ripe for exploration, but there is one area that appears to be off limits.
There is a giant tree on the map so huge that its outline can be spotted from some of the farthest reaches of the islands. The community has dubbed this feature the “World Tree” but its true purpose is mysterious. Developer Pocket Pair has not released any information regarding this remarkable feature, aside from warnings not to build bases there. The tree’s inclusion might just be a Chekhov’s gun when it comes to the story ofPalworld.
The World Tree is One of Palworld’s Biggest Questions
Why the World Tree in Palworld is Off-Limits
The giant tree is technically accessible despite a red wall blocking access to the surrounding area. Players have been able to land on the tree’s island thanks to some glitches and high level Pals likeJetragon. That said, the tree itself is protected by an invisible sphere that pushes players away. Obviously, this suggests that players are not meant to be hanging out in this area, let alone building bases there. Furthermore, the Pocket Pair Community Manager on Discord has said that the area is off-limits for a reason and that bases built there will eventually be deleted.
This warning suggests that the World Tree area may play host to futurePalworldcontent. As of the time of this writing, the game has yet to release much by way of story content. The open world allows players to go off on their own adventures rather than guiding them through a narrative viaPalworldquests or missions. This might change oncePalworldis given a full release and lore about the world is added to the game.
Lore About the World Tree
“World Trees” have been featured in many different cultural myths. In Norse mythology, for example, the world tree called Yggdrasil serves as the center of the universe.
InPalworldlore is typically embedded within diary entries. ThePalworldfaction leadershave various entries scattered throughout the world, along with a “Castaway’s Journal” that players can find piece by piece. The sixth entry in the Castaway’s Journal muses about ancient myths involving “world trees.” This entry also hypothesizes that since the tree is so enormous, the world outside the Palpagos Islands should be able to see it in spite of the mysterious fog that surrounds the island. “In other words,” the entry reads, “some kind of mechanism must be preventing it from being seen from the outside.”
This enormous tree surely has a central purpose tothe story ofPalworld. If it didn’t, and was just a cool natural feature, then it wouldn’t make sense for it to be off-limits to players. Its inclusion, and mention in the Castaway’s Journal, begs the question of its purpose. Given its sheer size and mystery, the so-called World Tree could very well be a Chekhov’s gun when it comes to the story ofPalworld.
“Chekhov’s gun” comes from the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, who wrote, “If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it’s not going to be fired, it shouldn’t be hanging there.”
“Chekhov’s gun” refers to the narrative principle that if a remarkable element is introduced into a story, like a giant tree, then it must be a necessary part of the story. Good writing excludes unnecessary elements. Because the World Tree has been prominently featured inPalworld, it surely has a purpose that has yet to be revealed. It would be a missed opportunity if the tree winds up having no significance to the plot ofPalworld. Those aforementioned journal entries, and the barrier around it, suggest that this is not the case. Rather, it is more likely that the World Tree will eventually be revealed as Chekhov’s gun: an essential element to the narrative that has been there all along.
While players don’t know much about the story behindPalworld, that does not prevent them from enjoying the creature collecting, survival crafting game as it is now.Palworldmade waves upon release of its early access,breaking video game recordsand garnering a huge player base. Some of that hype has since died down, butPalworldstill promises to be a popular game when it at last enjoys a full release some time in the not-so-distant future.
Palworld
WHERE TO PLAY
In this game, you can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories. You can even sell them or eat them.Survival: In a harsh environment where food is scarce and vicious poachers roam, danger waits around every corner. To survive, you must tread carefully and make difficult choices…even if that means eating your own Pals when the time comes.Mounts & Exploration: Pals can be mounted to traverse the land, sea and sky—allowing you to traverse all kinds of environment as you explore the world.Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game!
