At 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 his insightful talk at the conference titled 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' where Buckley openly discussed the challenges Palworld faced, including accusations of using generative AI and copying Pokémon models, which have been thoroughly debunked. He also touched on the unexpected Nintendo patent infringement lawsuit against the studio, which he described as a "shock" that "no one even considered."
Given the depth of Buckley's insights into Pocketpair's community management struggles and successes, we've decided to publish the full extended interview here. For those seeking a more concise read, you can find shorter articles on Buckley's comments regarding the potential release of Palworld on the 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 inevitable question about the lawsuit you mentioned 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 that affects the company's morale. It hasn't directly affected development, but it's something that weighs on everyone's mind. Naturally, lawyers have been involved, but that's primarily handled by the top executives, not the development team.
IGN: Your talk touched on the 'Pokémon with guns' label, which you seemed to dislike. Why is that?
Buckley: Many people assume that was our initial goal, but it wasn't. We aimed to create a game similar to ARK: Survival Evolved, but 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 it gained attention, it doesn't accurately represent our game's core concept.
IGN: You mentioned not understanding why Palworld became so popular. Was the 'Pokémon with guns' label a significant factor?
Buckley: It certainly played a role. The label sparked a lot of discussion and interest. However, we wish people would play the game before labeling it, as it's not what they might expect. It's frustrating when people believe that's all the game is about without giving it a chance.
IGN: How would you have described Palworld if you could choose its moniker?
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, but it's closer to what we intended.
IGN: You also addressed the criticism that Palworld was 'AI slop.' How did that affect the team internally?
Buckley: It was a massive blow, especially to our artists. The accusations are baseless, yet they persist and are particularly hurtful to our concept artists, especially our female artists who prefer to remain out of the public eye. We released an art book to counter these claims, but it didn't have the impact we hoped for.
IGN: The gaming industry is discussing generative AI. How do you address the skepticism about AI-generated art?
Buckley: Much of the skepticism stems from misinterpretations of our CEO's past comments and a game we developed called AI: Art Imposter. These were taken out of context, leading people to believe we endorse generative AI, which isn't the case.
IGN: What's your take on the state of online gaming communities and the role of social media?
Buckley: Social media is crucial for us, especially in Asian markets where it's highly influential. However, online gaming communities can be intense, with emotions running high. We can handle criticism, but death threats are too extreme and illogical. We work tirelessly on the game, and it's disheartening when our efforts are met with such hostility.
IGN: Do you feel social media is getting worse?
Buckley: There's a trend where some people deliberately take opposing views for attention. Fortunately, Palworld has mostly avoided this type of controversy, focusing more on gameplay-related feedback.
IGN: You mentioned that the majority of the backlash came from the Western audience. Why do you think that is?
Buckley: It's puzzling. In Japan, we're quite divisive, but the intense reactions, including death threats, were primarily in English. Perhaps it was just the timing or the way the game was perceived abroad.
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IGN: Palworld was extremely successful. Has that changed how the studio operates or your future plans?
Buckley: It has changed our future plans, but not the studio's culture. We've expanded our server and development teams to speed up development, but our CEO wants to keep the studio relatively small.
IGN: Did you expect Palworld to be this big?
Buckley: We knew it was a good game, but the level of success was unexpected. Reaching millions of sales is surreal, and it's challenging to grasp the scale of it.
IGN: Will Pocketpair continue to support Palworld for a long time?
Buckley: Absolutely, Palworld isn't going anywhere. We're exploring its future form while also working on other projects like Craftopia. Palworld is now split into the game and the IP, each taking different paths.
IGN: There was a misunderstanding about a partnership. Can you clarify?
Buckley: Yes, there's a misconception about our relationship with Sony. We're not owned by them; we're just collaborating on the IP side.
IGN: Would Pocketpair ever consider being acquired?
Buckley: Our CEO would never allow it. He values independence and doing his own thing.
IGN: Do you see Pokémon as a competitor?
Buckley: Not really. Our audiences and game systems are quite different. We focus more on other survival games like Nightingale and Enshrouded.
IGN: Would you consider releasing Palworld on the Switch?
Buckley: If we could optimize it for the Switch, we would. For the Switch 2, it depends on the specs, which we haven't seen yet.
IGN: What's your message to people who misunderstand Palworld without playing it?
Buckley: I encourage them to play it. We're considering a demo to help people understand the game better. It's not what many might think based on the drama and memes. We're a dedicated team, and we want people to experience the game for themselves.
Buckley reflects on the whirlwind year for gaming in 2024, noting the unprecedented success of games like Palworld, Black Myth: Wukong, and Helldivers 2, suggesting that the heightened emotions and attention from last year contributed to the intense discussions around Palworld.
