During the Game Developers Conference (GDC) last month, we had an in-depth conversation with John “Bucky” Buckley, the communications director and publishing manager for Palworld developer Pocketpair. This discussion followed Buckley's talk titled 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' where he openly addressed the challenges Palworld faced, including accusations of using generative AI and copying Pokémon's models—claims that Pocketpair has thoroughly debunked. Buckley also touched on the unexpected patent infringement lawsuit from Nintendo, describing it as a "shock" to the studio.
Given the depth of Buckley's insights into Pocketpair's community struggles and successes, we've decided to share the full extended interview here. For those looking for a more concise read, you can find shorter summaries of Buckley's comments on topics such as the potential release of Palworld on the Nintendo Switch 2, the studio's reaction to being labeled "Pokemon with guns," and discussions about Pocketpair's potential acquisition at these links.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity:
IGN: Let's start with the inevitable question about the lawsuit. You briefly mentioned it in your GDC talk. Has the pending lawsuit made it harder for Pocketpair to update and move forward with the game?
John Buckley: No, it hasn't affected our ability to update the game or move forward. It's more of a constant presence that weighs on us and impacts our morale. Of course, it involves legal expenses, but that's handled by our top executives. It's more about the emotional toll on the team than anything else.
IGN: Moving on, I was intrigued by your reaction to the 'Pokemon with guns' label in your talk. Why didn't you seem to like it?
Buckley: Many think that was our goal from the start, but it wasn't. Our inspiration was more along the lines of ARK: Survival Evolved, with added automation and unique personalities for each creature. We wanted to expand on what we loved about ARK and Craftopia. When the 'Pokemon with guns' label emerged after our first trailer, it wasn't our preferred moniker, but it caught on.
IGN: You mentioned not understanding why Palworld took off the way it did. Do you think the 'Pokemon with guns' label played a significant role?
Buckley: Absolutely, it did fuel the fire. But what bothers us is when people think that's all the game is about. We encourage everyone to give it a try before forming an opinion.
IGN: How would you have described Palworld differently?
Buckley: I might have called it “Palworld: It's kind of like ARK if ARK met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends.” It's not as catchy, though.
IGN: You also addressed the criticism of Palworld being 'AI slop.' How did this impact the team at Pocketpair?
Buckley: It was incredibly upsetting, especially for our artists. Despite releasing an art book to counter these claims, the misinformation persists. Our artists, particularly our female artists in Japan, prefer to stay out of the public eye, making it challenging to refute these accusations effectively.
IGN: There's a broader industry conversation about generative AI. Do you think people can really spot AI-generated art?
Buckley: Some arguments against our use of AI are baseless. Misinterpretations of our CEO's comments and the release of our game AI: Art Imposter have fueled these misconceptions. We never intended to endorse AI art; it was meant to be a light-hearted party game.
IGN: What's your take on the state of online gaming communities? Is social media still useful for you?
Buckley: Social media is crucial for us, especially in Asian markets where it's a way of life. While some communities can be intense, we understand the emotional reactions. However, the death threats we've received are illogical and hurtful, especially since we're deeply invested in the game's success and quick to fix issues.
IGN: Do you feel social media has gotten worse?
Buckley: There's a trend where some people oppose popular opinions for attention. Fortunately, Palworld has largely avoided these controversies, focusing more on gameplay feedback.
IGN: You mentioned in your talk that the majority of the heat came from Western audiences. Why do you think that is?
Buckley: We're not sure. In Japan, opinions about us are split. We target the overseas market with a Japanese flair, which can be divisive. The intense reactions, especially death threats, were predominantly in English.
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IGN: Palworld has been extremely successful. Has this changed how the studio operates or your future plans?
Buckley: It's changed our future plans, but not the studio's core culture. We're hiring more developers and artists to speed up development, but our CEO wants to keep the company relatively small.
IGN: You mentioned the community team didn't grow. Did other parts of the studio expand?
Buckley: Yes, our server team and other development teams have grown. We're focused on speeding up development to deliver content quicker to our fans.
IGN: Was the level of success unexpected?
Buckley: Absolutely. Reaching millions in sales is surreal, and it's hard to grasp. We knew we had a good game, but not that it would be this big.
IGN: Do you anticipate supporting Palworld for a long time?
Buckley: Palworld is definitely here to stay, though in what form, we're not sure. We're also working on other projects like Craftopia and supporting our team's creative endeavors.
IGN: What about the partnership with Sony that was misunderstood?
Buckley: It's still misunderstood. We're not owned by Sony, and our CEO would never allow an acquisition. He values independence.
IGN: Do you see Palworld as competing with games like Pokémon?
Buckley: We don't see it that way. Our audiences and game systems are different. We focus more on other survival games like Nightingale and Enshrouded, and we have friendly relationships with those developers.
IGN: Would you ever release Palworld on the Nintendo Switch?
Buckley: If we could make it work on the Switch, we would. It's a beefy game, but we're open to it, especially if the Switch 2 has the necessary specs.
IGN: What's your message to those who misunderstand Palworld without playing it?
Buckley: Play it. We're considering a demo to give people a chance to experience it firsthand. The game is not what many imagine based on the drama. We're a dedicated team, and we're not as 'seedy and scummy' as some portray us to be.
IGN: It seems like 2024 was a remarkable year for games. How do you reflect on that?
Buckley: Last year was extraordinary, with many games hitting unprecedented numbers. It was a crazy year, and I think people will remember it for years to come.
