Palworld Devs Reject 'Pokemon With Guns' Label

When thinking of Palworld, the immediate association for many is "Pokemon with guns." This shorthand, popularized across the internet, significantly contributed to its viral success by merging two seemingly incongruent concepts. Even we at IGN used this phrase, as did many others, making it a convenient way to quickly convey the game's essence to newcomers.

However, according to John 'Bucky' Buckley, Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager, the "Pokemon with guns" label was never the intended focus. During a talk at the Game Developers Conference, Buckley revealed that Pocketpair doesn't particularly love this moniker. The game was initially showcased at the Indie Live Expo in Japan in June 2021, where it received a warm reception. But soon after, Western media quickly branded it as a 'certain franchise' plus guns, a label that has stuck despite efforts to move past it.

In a follow-up interview, Buckley elaborated that Pokemon was never part of the original pitch. While the development team includes Pokemon fans who recognized the monster-collecting similarities, their true inspiration was more aligned with ARK: Survival Evolved. Buckley explained that their previous game, Craftopia, drew inspiration from ARK, and they aimed to expand on this with Palworld. The goal was to enhance the automation aspects and give each creature unique personalities and abilities, differentiating it from ARK's focus on dinosaurs.

Despite the "Pokemon with guns" label aiding Palworld's success, Buckley admits it was a significant factor. He noted that Dave Oshry from New Blood Interactive even trademarked 'Pokemonwithguns.com,' which further fueled the game's viral spread. However, Buckley expressed a slight frustration that some people believe this label accurately represents the game without experiencing it firsthand. He encourages players to try Palworld before forming judgments.

Buckley also believes that Pokemon and Palworld do not compete for the same audience, citing ARK as a more appropriate comparison. He dismisses the notion of competition in gaming as often manufactured for marketing purposes, emphasizing that the real challenge is timing releases amidst a crowded market. Not even games like Helldivers 2, which saw significant crossover with Palworld players, are seen as direct competitors.

If Buckley could choose a different viral tagline, he humorously suggested, "Palworld: It's Kind of Like ARK if ARK Met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends," acknowledging that it doesn't have the same catchy ring as "Pokemon with guns."

In our extended interview, Buckley also discussed the potential for Palworld on the Nintendo Switch 2, the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired, and more. You can delve into the full discussion right here.