<p><i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> causes the most severe form of malaria in humans, and disease severity is directly linked to parasite proliferation during the erythrocytic cycle. During this cycle, <i>P. falciparum</i> replicates via schizogony. This is an unusual form of asexual replication in which the parasite undergoes alternating asynchronous rounds of DNA replication and nuclear division within a shared cytoplasm, followed by a mass cytokinesis event that produces numerous daughter cells. Despite recent advances in high-throughput, single-molecule techniques, clarity on <i>P. falciparum</i> replication dynamics remains elusive. These dynamics are likely shaped by its highly AT-rich genome and the unique pressures of schizogony. Clarifying the pressures that shape schizogony and DNA replication may reveal parasite-specific vulnerabilities and inform the development of new antimalarials. </p>