Fishing for Nightmares: “Palworld” Publisher Signs a New, “Totally Normal” Horror Game

After the explosive success of Palworld, the controversial “Pokémon with guns” survival game, developer Pocketpair has been a subject of intense scrutiny and fascination. Now, the studio’s newly launched publishing arm, Pocketpair Publishing, is making headlines again, but this time for an entirely different reason. The company has announced its latest acquisition: a retro-style fishing adventure with a decidedly unsettling tone. The game, titled Normal Fishing, is being marketed with a wink and a smile, promising “absolutely no eerie mysteries or horrors lurking beneath the water,” a statement that has, in classic horror fashion, completely convinced no one.

“A Totally Normal Game About Fishing”

The game’s official Steam page and announcement trailer present a masterclass in psychological marketing. The game’s rusty, sepia-toned pixel art creates an immediate sense of unease. The images show a lonely figure on a rickety boat, and while the early gameplay looks like a tranquil fishing simulator, the tone shifts quickly to something far more sinister. Screenshots show a horrifying, wide-eyed woman staring at the player, and a boss fight against a gigantic, crab-like creature. The trailer ends with the terrifying image of the woman’s face decaying into a corpse-like figure, a final, definitive promise that this is anything but “normal.”

This approach is a direct reference to the “cozy horror” genre, a trend that has been popularized by games like Dredge, which also blended a simple, relaxing core loop with a deep, unsettling sense of dread. The juxtaposition of a calming activity like fishing with existential horror is a compelling one, and it’s a trend that seems to be gaining momentum in the indie scene. Pocketpair is clearly looking to capitalize on this and has found a promising new partner in the developer, The Bworg, a small studio that promises players will “uncover a much deeper, darker secret” in the game.

• The “Fishing Horror” Trend: Normal Fishing joins a growing list of games that blend the cozy genre of fishing simulators with the chilling atmosphere of horror. These games subvert player expectations by turning a normally peaceful activity into a harrowing experience.
• Pocketpair’s Publishing Strategy: The company’s publishing arm has been making some interesting choices since its inception. It previously signed on a psychological horror game called Dead Take, which was so terrifying that the studio’s own communications director was “too scared to play” it. This shows a clear pattern: Pocketpair is looking to support indie developers who are creating unique and unexpected horror experiences.
• A “Normal” Release Date: While the game’s release date is listed as “coming soon” on its Steam page, fans of the genre are already looking forward to it. The high CPC keywords for these discussions, such as “Normal Fishing Steam,” “Palworld publisher new game,” “best horror fishing games,” and “retro horror games,” all point to a passionate and ongoing conversation about this new and unexpected entry into the horror scene.

The Final Catch: A New Dawn for Indie Horror

The story of Normal Fishing is a testament to the power of indie game developers to create unique, genre-bending experiences. In an industry that is often dominated by AAA live-service games and yearly sequels, a small, independent title about “leisurely fishing” can create a massive amount of buzz and excitement. Pocketpair, for its part, is proving that it is more than just a one-hit wonder. By using its platform to support and promote other ambitious developers, it is contributing to a new era of gaming, one where the most terrifying monsters aren’t in a dark dungeon, but just below the surface of the water, where no one is looking.