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 Pocketpair, the developers behind Palworld. This conversation followed his insightful talk at the conference, 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' where Buckley candidly discussed several challenges faced by Palworld, including accusations of using generative AI and copying Pokémon models for its creatures, known as Pals. These claims were later debunked and retracted. 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 discussion on Pocketpair's community management experiences, we've decided to share the full extended interview here. For those interested in shorter summaries, you can find Buckley's thoughts on potential Palworld releases for Nintendo Switch 2, the studio's reaction to the "Pokémon with guns" label, and the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired at the provided links.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
IGN: I'm going to start with the question I know you can't fully answer. You mentioned the lawsuit briefly in your GDC talk. Has it impacted Pocketpair's 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 progress. It's more of a constant presence that affects our morale. It hasn't impacted development directly, but it's certainly a weight on the company's spirit. We've had to hire lawyers, but that's primarily handled by the top executives, not the rest of the team.
IGN: Let's dive into your talk. You mentioned the 'Pokémon with guns' label, and it seemed like you weren't fond of it. Why is that?
Buckley: Many assume that was our goal from the start, but it wasn't. Our aim was to create a game similar to ARK: Survival Evolved but with more automation and unique creature personalities. We're big fans of ARK, and our previous game, Craftopia, drew inspiration from it. The 'Pokémon with guns' label came after our first trailer, and while it's catchy, it doesn't reflect our vision accurately.
IGN: You also expressed surprise at Palworld's massive success. Do you think the 'Pokémon with guns' label played a role in that?
Buckley: It definitely contributed. The label got a lot of attention, but it's frustrating when people assume that's what the game is without trying it. We'd prefer if everyone gave it a chance before forming an opinion.
IGN: How would you have described Palworld if you could?
Buckley: I might have said, "Palworld: It's like ARK if it met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends." It's not as catchy, but it's closer to what we intended.
IGN: You discussed the accusations of using AI-generated art in your talk. How did this affect the team at Pocketpair?
Buckley: It had a massive impact, especially on our artists. It's frustrating and hurtful, particularly for our concept artists who've been with us from the start. We tried to counter these claims with an art book, but it didn't completely dispel the rumors. Many of our artists, especially our female artists in Japan, prefer to stay out of the public eye, which makes it challenging to refute these claims effectively.
IGN: The gaming industry is grappling with generative AI. Do you think people are good at spotting AI-generated content?
Buckley: I think some arguments against us are baseless. They stem from misinterpretations of comments our CEO made years ago and a party game we developed that involved AI-generated images. It was meant to be ironic, but it was misconstrued as an endorsement of AI art.
IGN: What's your view on the state of online gaming communities?
Buckley: Social media is crucial for us, especially since our games are popular in Asia, where it's a significant part of daily life. However, online communities can be intense. We understand when people get emotional and lash out, but death threats are hard to take, especially when they're over issues like game bugs that we're actively working to fix.
IGN: Do you think social media is getting worse?
Buckley: There's a trend where people say controversial things just for attention. Luckily, Palworld has mostly avoided these political and social controversies, focusing more on gameplay feedback.
IGN: You mentioned that the majority of the backlash came from Western audiences. Why do you think that is?
Buckley: We're not sure. In Japan, opinions about us are divided. We aim to target overseas markets with a Japanese flair, which might not sit well with some audiences. The Western backlash, including death threats, was primarily in English.
Palworld Screens
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IGN: Palworld's success was unexpected. Has it changed how Pocketpair operates?
Buckley: It's changed our future plans but not our studio culture. We're hiring more developers and artists to speed up development, but our CEO wants to keep the company relatively small, around 70 people.
IGN: You mentioned that the community team didn't grow. Did other parts of the studio expand?
Buckley: Our server team has grown, and we're continuously hiring more developers and artists. However, the company culture remains largely unchanged despite the growth.
IGN: Do you anticipate supporting Palworld for a long time?
Buckley: Absolutely. Palworld is here to stay, though its future form is uncertain. We're also continuing to work on other projects like Craftopia and supporting our developers' individual projects.
IGN: There was some confusion about a partnership. Can you clarify?
Buckley: There's a misconception that we're owned by Sony. We're not. Aniplex and Sony Music are involved with Palworld as an IP, but we're focused on the game itself.
IGN: Would Pocketpair ever consider being acquired?
Buckley: Our CEO would never allow it. He values his independence and prefers to steer his own course.
IGN: Do you see Palworld as competing with Pokémon, especially given the timing of your releases?
Buckley: We don't see it as competition. The audiences and systems are different. We released alongside other survival games like Nightingale and Enshrouded, and our focus was more on those. Competition in games is often manufactured for marketing, and we're more concerned with timing than direct competition.
IGN: Would you consider releasing Palworld on the Nintendo Switch?
Buckley: If we could optimize it for the Switch, we would. We're waiting to see the specs for the Switch 2. We've done well with optimization for the Steam Deck, so we're open to more handheld platforms.
IGN: You mentioned that Palworld is often misunderstood. What's your message to those who haven't played it?
Buckley: I think many who only know Palworld from the drama would be surprised if they played it. We're considering a demo to give people a chance to experience it firsthand. We're not as 'seedy and scummy' as some believe. Our decision to protect our developers from public scrutiny might have made us seem inaccessible, but it was necessary.
IGN: It's interesting how memes can shape perceptions. What's your final thought on Palworld's success?
Buckley: Last year was exceptional for gaming with many successful titles. Palworld was part of that wave, and while it's been a wild ride, we hope to continue doing well and maintaining our unique approach to game development.
