Horse game klaxon: Palia is adding breedable, rideable horses and they look way more realistic than most MMO mounts

I’m not the keeper of the grand “games with horses” spreadsheet but to whoever is: time to add Palia. The next expansion for the life sim MMO is adding one of those features players are always asking for in MMOs: mounts. Specifically: horses. I was expecting the stock-standard mounts implementation—a glorified ‘go faster’ button—but it sure looks like Palia’s put enough thought into its horses to be worth a second glance by the chronically underfed equestrian gamers.

Palia’s next expansion is called The Royal Highlands, launching as a free game update on May 12. The expansion will add the largest “adventure zone” (read: explorable area) in Palia so far, a handsome (they insist, and I won’t argue with) new villager named Eshelon, new furniture styles, ranches for your home lot, and three horse breeds.

One of the first things you can spot in Singularity 6’s breakdown video on the new mounts is that there’s a speed meter that transitions through different gaits. The equestrians in the room will have to give opinions on the accuracy there, but I’m spotting at least a walk, canter, and gallop. I’m a little less sure about that trot, but I’m no expert.

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In most MMOs, mounts don’t actually change how player movement feels and are really just a slightly higher camera angle and traversal speed. Guild Wars 2 has always been a bit of a notable exception with its mounts that all handle quite differently. Palia may not be going quite so far as GW2’s Roller Beetle drifting movement, but different gaits and traits that mention changing how each horse handles—I spotted one called “Bulldozer” that makes a horse faster but worse at turning—is more than most MMOs get into.