Palworld Dev’s Publishing Arm Won’t Work With GenAI Games

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Okay, so I was reading about Palworld, and it’s pretty interesting! Apparently, the developers at Pocketpair aren’t big fans of AI. Their publishing boss said they don’t really trust generative AI and have made it clear they won’t collaborate with any studios that do use it in their games. It’s a pretty strong stance, and honestly, a little surprising given how much we’re hearing about AI these days!

During an interview at Gamescom Asia on October 21st, John Buckley, who handles communications and publishing at Pocketpair, stated that while their new publishing team welcomes developers of any experience level, they will not work with games that heavily rely on AI-generated content.

I know some people might not believe me, but here’s the truth. We’re not interested in AI, Web3, or NFTs. We’re being very clear about that. If your game relies heavily on those technologies, we’re probably not the right publisher for you – there are plenty of others who would be a better fit.

It’s a daring stance, particularly considering major competitors like EA are aggressively implementing AI for their employees. However, Buckley recognizes that AI is becoming increasingly prevalent and anticipates this trend will continue to accelerate.

He predicts that over the next few years, we’ll see a surge of very poor-quality games created using AI, a trend already starting on Steam. While Steam has historically been good at preventing these games from appearing, it’s becoming more common. He believes this will lead to a demand for genuinely crafted games, as players begin to prioritize and support developers who are truly putting effort and creativity into their work.

Ever since Palworld launched in January 2024 – you know, the game that’s kind of like Pokémon but with guns – Pocketpair has been getting a lot of heat about potentially using AI. I’ve been following it closely, and it sounds like the studio head, Buckley, and the whole team are used to the questions by now. Instead of denying everything, they’re hoping their work and how they operate will show everyone that they aren’t relying on AI at all. Honestly, I’m rooting for them to prove it!

He explained that engaging with people who accuse them of using AI would only make the situation worse. He felt that such arguments are pointless – they could insist it wasn’t AI-generated, while the accusers would continue to claim it was, leading to endless back-and-forth with no resolution.

Pocketpair, the creators of Palworld, are currently facing a lawsuit from Nintendo. Nintendo recently argued in court that modifications created by players (mods) shouldn’t be considered when determining if Palworld is original. This argument is key to Nintendo’s claim that Palworld isn’t a unique game, but rather a copy of Pokemon, which Pocketpair disputes.

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2025-10-22 17:42