Palworld Director Clarifies AI Controversy, Online Issues, and Misunderstandings

At the recent Game Developers Conference (GDC), we had the opportunity to engage in a detailed conversation with John "Bucky" Buckley, the communications director and publishing manager for Pocketpair, the developers behind Palworld. Following his insightful talk titled 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' Buckley shared candid insights into the challenges and successes faced by Palworld.

During his talk, Buckley openly discussed the game's struggles, including accusations of using generative AI and stealing Pokémon models. Pocketpair has firmly debunked these claims, and the accuser has since retracted their statement. Buckley also touched on the unexpected patent infringement lawsuit from Nintendo, which he described as a "shock" to the studio.

Given the depth of our conversation, we decided to share the full extended interview here, while also providing links to shorter segments focusing on topics like the potential release of Palworld on Nintendo Switch 2, the studio's reaction to the "Pokémon with guns" label, and the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity:

IGN: Let's start with the lawsuit you briefly mentioned in your GDC talk. Has it affected your ability to update and move forward with the game?

John Buckley: No, the lawsuit hasn't made it harder to update the game or to move forward. It's more of a constant presence that affects the company's morale. We've had to hire lawyers, but that's handled by the top management, so it hasn't directly impacted our development process.

IGN: In your talk, you seemed to dislike the "Pokémon with guns" label. Why is that?

Buckley: We didn't set out to make "Pokémon with guns." Our goal was to create a game similar to ARK: Survival Evolved but with more automation and unique creatures. The "Pokémon with guns" label emerged after our first trailer, and while it garnered attention, it doesn't accurately represent our vision for Palworld.

IGN: You mentioned not understanding why Palworld took off so rapidly. Do you think the "Pokémon with guns" label played a role in that?

Buckley: Absolutely, it did fuel the fire. However, it's frustrating when people think that's all the game is without giving it a chance. We'd prefer if players experienced the game firsthand before forming an opinion.

IGN: If you could choose a different moniker for Palworld, what would it be?

Buckley: Perhaps something like "Palworld: It's kind of like ARK if ARK met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends." It's not as catchy, but it better reflects the game's essence.

IGN: You also addressed the criticism that Palworld uses AI-generated art. How did this impact your team internally?

Buckley: It was a massive blow, especially for our artists. The accusations are baseless and very upsetting, particularly for our concept artists. We released an art book to counter these claims, but it hasn't been as effective as we hoped. Our artists, many of whom are female, prefer to stay out of the public eye, which makes it challenging to address these issues directly.

IGN: There's a broader conversation about generative AI in the industry. Do you think people are good at spotting AI-generated art?

Buckley: It's a tricky topic. The accusations against us often stem from misinterpretations of our CEO's past comments and a game we developed called AI: Art Imposter. It was meant to be a fun party game, but it's been misconstrued as our endorsement of AI art.

IGN: What's your view on the state of online gaming communities, especially given the harassment you've faced?

Buckley: Social media is crucial for us, particularly in Asian markets where it's deeply ingrained. However, online gaming communities can be intense. We understand the passion and frustration, but the death threats are hard to handle. We're just as affected by bugs and issues as our players are, if not more so, since we're constantly working on the game.

IGN: Do you feel that social media has gotten worse recently?

Buckley: There's definitely a trend of people saying the opposite just to provoke reactions. Luckily, Palworld has largely avoided political and social controversies and mainly deals with gameplay-related feedback.

IGN: You mentioned that most of the negative feedback came from the Western audience. Why do you think that is?

Buckley: It's puzzling. In Japan, opinions are split, but we've always aimed for the overseas market with a Japanese flair. The heat from the West might have been due to the game's sudden popularity making it a target at the time.

Palworld Screens

17 Images

IGN: Palworld's success was unexpected. Has it changed how Pocketpair operates or your future plans?

Buckley: It has influenced our future plans, but the studio's core culture remains unchanged. We're hiring more developers and artists to speed up development, but we're trying to keep the company size manageable.

IGN: Do you see Palworld as a long-term project?

Buckley: Absolutely, Palworld isn't going anywhere. However, we're also working on other projects like Craftopia and supporting our developers in pursuing their own ideas. Palworld is evolving into both a game and an IP, with different trajectories.

IGN: There's been confusion about a partnership with Sony. Can you clarify?

Buckley: We're not owned by Sony. There's a misunderstanding about our partnership with Aniplex and Sony Music for the Palworld IP, but we're only directly involved with the game's development.

IGN: Would Pocketpair ever consider being acquired?

Buckley: Our CEO is against it. He values his independence and doesn't want to be told what to do. I doubt it would happen in my lifetime.

IGN: How do you see the competition with Pokémon, especially given the timing of your release?

Buckley: We don't view Pokémon as direct competition. The systems and audiences are different. We were more focused on other survival games like Nightingale and Enshrouded. The gaming industry's "competition" often feels manufactured for marketing purposes.

IGN: Is there a possibility of Palworld coming to the Nintendo Switch?

Buckley: If we could optimize it for the Switch, we would. For the Switch 2, it depends on the specs, which we're still waiting to see. We're happy with our optimization for the Steam Deck and would like to expand to more handhelds.

IGN: Your talk highlighted that Palworld is misunderstood by those who haven't played it. What's your message to them?

Buckley: I believe many people who only know Palworld through news and drama misunderstand the game. My advice is to play it. We're considering a demo to help people experience it firsthand. We're not the seedy company some make us out to be, but our efforts to protect our developers have sometimes made us seem inaccessible.

Last year was exceptional for gaming, with many successful titles like Palworld, Helldivers 2, and Black Myth: Wukong. The high emotions and excitement might have contributed to the intense reactions and misunderstandings surrounding Palworld.