Palworld's Communications Director Addresses AI Controversy and Misunderstandings

At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) last month, we had the opportunity to sit down with John "Bucky" Buckley, the communications director and publishing manager for Palworld developer Pocketpair. This conversation followed Buckley's insightful talk at the conference titled 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop.' During his presentation, Buckley candidly discussed the various challenges Palworld faced, including accusations of using generative AI (which Pocketpair has debunked) and claims of stealing Pokémon's models for its own Pals (a claim that the original accuser has since retracted). He also touched on Nintendo's patent infringement lawsuit against the studio, expressing that it "came as a shock" and was "something that no one even considered."

We've already covered some highlights from our discussion with Buckley in shorter articles, focusing on topics like the potential release of Palworld on the Nintendo Switch 2, the studio's response to the "Pokémon with guns" label, and the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired. However, given the depth of Buckley's insights into Pocketpair's community challenges and successes, we've decided to share the full extended interview here. For those interested in a more concise version, you can find Buckley's comments on these topics at the provided links.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

IGN: Let's address the elephant in the room first, the lawsuit you mentioned briefly in your GDC talk. Has it impacted Pocketpair's ability to update and move forward with the game?

John Buckley: No, it hasn't made it harder to update the game or move forward. It's more of a constant presence in our minds, affecting our morale more than anything else. Of course, we've had to hire lawyers, but that's primarily handled by the top executives. For the rest of us, it's just a morale issue.

IGN: Moving on to a lighter topic, you seemed to dislike the "Pokémon with guns" moniker in your talk. Can you explain why?

Buckley: Many believe that label was our goal from the start, but it wasn't. We aimed to create something akin to ARK: Survival Evolved, with more automation and unique personalities for each creature. Our previous game, Craftopia, drew inspiration from ARK, and we wanted to expand on that. The "Pokémon with guns" label emerged after our first trailer, and while we weren't thrilled about it, it became part of the conversation.

IGN: You mentioned in your talk that you couldn't explain Palworld's sudden popularity. Do you think the "Pokémon with guns" label played a role?

Buckley: Absolutely, that label certainly contributed to the buzz. But it's frustrating when people assume that's all the game is. We'd prefer if players gave it a chance before forming an opinion.

IGN: How would you describe Palworld if you could choose your own moniker?

Buckley: I'd probably call it "Palworld: It's kind of like ARK if ARK met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends." It's a bit of a mouthful, but it captures the essence better.

IGN: You also addressed the criticism that Palworld used AI-generated content. How did that impact the team internally?

Buckley: It affected us deeply, especially our artists. The accusations are baseless and very upsetting, particularly for our Pal concept artists who've been with us from the start. We tried to counter these claims by releasing an art book, but it didn't fully resolve the issue. Many of our artists, particularly our female artists in Japan, prefer to stay out of the public eye, which complicates our efforts to address these misconceptions.

IGN: The gaming industry is grappling with the rise of generative AI. Do you think people are good at spotting AI-generated content?

Buckley: Many arguments against us are based on misinterpretations, like our CEO's comment on a Kotaku article about AI. Our game AI: Art Imposter, which involves AI-generated images, was misunderstood as an endorsement of AI art. It's a complex issue, and we're still figuring out how to address it effectively.

IGN: What's your view on the state of online gaming communities and the role of social media?

Buckley: Social media is crucial for us, especially in our primary markets like Japan and China. However, online gaming communities can be intense. While we can handle general criticism, death threats are another matter. We spend long hours working on the game, and it's disheartening when players lash out over issues we're already working to fix.

IGN: Do you think social media is getting worse?

Buckley: There's a trend of people taking contrarian positions just to get reactions, which social media seems to encourage. Luckily, Palworld has largely avoided these controversies, focusing more on gameplay-related feedback.

IGN: You mentioned that most of the criticism came from Western audiences. Why do you think that is?

Buckley: It's a mystery to us too. In Japan, we're a divisive company, but overseas, we've faced more intense scrutiny. Perhaps it was easier to target us at the time, but the situation has calmed down significantly.

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IGN: Given Palworld's unexpected success, has it changed how Pocketpair operates or plans for the future?

Buckley: It's changed our future plans, but not the studio itself. We're hiring more developers and artists to speed up development, but our company culture remains the same. Our CEO wants to keep the team small, even though we've grown to 70 people.

IGN: You mentioned that the community team didn't grow. Did other parts of the studio expand?

Buckley: Yes, our server team and development teams have grown. We're always trying to onboard more talent to deliver content faster, but we haven't reached a tipping point in our culture yet.

IGN: Do you anticipate supporting Palworld for a long time?

Buckley: Palworld is definitely here to stay, though we're not sure in what form. We're also continuing to work on Craftopia and supporting other projects within the company. Palworld is now split into the game and the IP, with different trajectories.

IGN: There was some confusion about a partnership. Can you clarify?

Buckley: Yes, there's a lot of misunderstanding. We're not owned by Sony, despite what some people think. Aniplex and Sony Music are handling the IP side of Palworld, while we focus on the game.

IGN: Do you see Pocketpair ever being acquired?

Buckley: No, our CEO would never allow it. He values independence and doing things his way. Maybe he'll sell it when he's older, but not in my lifetime.

IGN: How do you view the competition with games like Pokémon?

Buckley: We don't see it as competition. Our audiences and game systems are different. We focus more on other survival games like Nightingale and Enshrouded. The gaming industry's notion of competition is often manufactured for marketing purposes. We're more concerned with timing our releases than competing with specific games.

IGN: Would you consider releasing Palworld on the Switch?

Buckley: If we could optimize the game for the Switch, we would. For the Switch 2, we're waiting to see the specs. Our experience optimizing for the Steam Deck gives us hope for other handhelds.

IGN: Your talk suggested that Palworld is misunderstood by those who haven't played it. What message would you give to those people?

Buckley: I think many people who only know Palworld from the drama would be surprised if they played it for an hour. We're not as "seedy and scummy" as some believe. We're a small, dedicated team trying to create something unique. A demo might help, but we need to figure out how to implement it properly. The internet tends to focus on memes and sensationalism, which can skew perceptions.