Palworld Devs Reject 'Pokemon With Guns' Label

When thinking of Palworld, the immediate association for many is "Pokemon with guns." This catchy, albeit reductive, phrase surged in popularity when the game first hit the scene, propelling it into the spotlight. Even we at IGN couldn't resist using it, joining the chorus of voices online. It was a handy way to encapsulate the game's unique blend of elements for those unfamiliar with it.

Yet, according to John 'Bucky' Buckley, Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager, this label was never the intended takeaway. In fact, during a talk at the Game Developers Conference, Buckley expressed that Pocketpair isn't thrilled about the moniker. He recounted how Palworld was first revealed at the Indie Live Expo in Japan back in June 2021 and initially received well. However, Western media quickly latched onto the game, branding it as a mix of a "certain franchise" and guns—a label that has persisted despite efforts to move away from it.

In a subsequent interview, Buckley clarified that Pokemon was never part of the game's original pitch. The team, composed of fans of the genre, acknowledged the similarities in monster collecting, but their true inspiration was more aligned with ARK: Survival Evolved. Buckley explained that their previous game, Craftopia, incorporated elements they admired from ARK, and they aimed to expand on these ideas in Palworld. The goal was to enhance the creatures with more personality and unique abilities, creating something akin to ARK but with a stronger emphasis on automation and creature individuality.

Buckley admitted that the "Pokemon with guns" tag did boost Palworld's popularity, with even Dave Oshry from New Blood Interactive playfully trademarking "Pokemonwithguns.com." Despite this, Buckley emphasized that the label misrepresents the game's actual experience. He hopes players will give Palworld a fair chance before jumping to conclusions based on the shorthand.

Interestingly, Buckley doesn't see Pokemon as a direct competitor to Palworld, believing the audiences don't significantly overlap. He sees ARK as a closer comparison but argues that the notion of competition in gaming is often overstated and perhaps even manufactured for marketing purposes. With the vast number of games available, he believes the real challenge is timing releases rather than competing against specific titles, including Helldivers 2, which many Palworld players also purchased.

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." He admits, though, that it doesn't quite have the same catchy appeal as the original.

In our extended interview, Buckley and I also touched on the potential for Palworld to come to the Nintendo Switch 2, the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired, and more. You can dive into the full conversation here.