Palworld Devs Aren't Fans of the 'Pokemon With Guns' Moniker

When you think of Palworld, the immediate association for many is "Pokemon with guns," a label that has stuck since the game's initial surge in popularity. This catchy but reductive phrase was widely used across the internet and even by outlets like IGN, helping fuel Palworld's rise by juxtaposing two seemingly incongruent concepts. However, according to Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager, John 'Bucky' Buckley, this was never the intended focus of the game.

Buckley shared at the Game Developers Conference that Palworld was first showcased at Indie Live Expo in Japan in June 2021, where it received a positive reception. However, Western media quickly branded it as "Pokemon with guns," a label that has persisted despite efforts to move away from it. In an interview following his talk, Buckley clarified that the game's pitch was never about Pokemon. Instead, the team, composed of fans of both Pokemon and ARK: Survival Evolved, aimed to create a game more aligned with ARK, focusing on automation and unique creature abilities.

While acknowledging that the "Pokemon with guns" label did contribute to Palworld's success, Buckley expressed frustration that some still view the game through this lens without experiencing it firsthand. He emphasized that the game is not a direct competitor to Pokemon, suggesting that the audiences for the two games do not significantly overlap. Instead, he sees ARK as a closer parallel and does not view Palworld as competing with other games for players, citing the vast number of games available today.

If Buckley could choose a different tagline, he humorously suggested, "Palworld: It's Kind of Like ARK if ARK Met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends," acknowledging that it's not as catchy but more reflective of the game's true nature. In our broader discussion, Buckley also touched on potential future developments, such as a possible release on the Nintendo Switch 2 and the company's stance on acquisitions. You can delve deeper into these topics in our full interview.

[ttpp]