When thinking of Palworld, the immediate association for many is "Pokemon with guns," a phrase that has become synonymous with the game since its surge in popularity. This catchy but reductive label was widely used across the internet and even by us at IGN, reflecting its convenience in quickly conveying the game's concept to new audiences. However, according to Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager, John 'Bucky' Buckley, this was never the intended focus of Palworld.
In a talk at the Game Developers Conference, Buckley expressed that Pocketpair does not particularly love the "Pokemon with guns" moniker. He explained that the game was first revealed in June 2021 at the Indie Live Expo in Japan, where it received a warm reception. However, it was quickly branded by Western media as a mix of a "certain franchise" and guns, a label that has persisted despite their efforts to move away from it.
In a follow-up interview, Buckley clarified that Pokemon was never part of the initial pitch for Palworld. Instead, the development team, many of whom are fans of ARK: Survival Evolved, aimed to create a game more akin to ARK. He mentioned their previous game, Craftopia, which drew inspiration from ARK, and how they wanted to expand on this concept by giving creatures more personality, abilities, and uniqueness. The goal was to blend elements of ARK with automation and creature diversity, not to mimic Pokemon.
Buckley acknowledged that the "Pokemon with guns" label did contribute to Palworld's success. He noted humorous incidents like Dave Oshry from New Blood Interactive trademarking "Pokemonwithguns.com," which further fueled the game's viral spread. However, he emphasized that the label can be misleading, as the actual gameplay experience of Palworld is far from what the phrase suggests. He encouraged players to try the game before forming an opinion based solely on the catchy but inaccurate tagline.
Interestingly, Buckley does not see Pokemon as a direct competitor to Palworld, citing minimal audience crossover and pointing to ARK as a more relevant comparison. He also dismissed the notion of competition in the gaming industry as largely manufactured, suggesting that the real challenge is timing releases rather than competing with specific games. Even the success of Helldivers 2, which many Palworld players also purchased, did not feel like direct competition to him.
If Buckley could choose a different viral tagline for Palworld, he humorously suggested, "Palworld: It's Kind of Like ARK if ARK Met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends." While acknowledging that it doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as "Pokemon with guns," it better reflects the game's true nature.
In our extended interview, Buckley and I 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 conversation right here.
