Pocketpair, the developer behind Palworld, has expressed dissatisfaction with the game’s frequent description as “Pokémon with guns.” John ‘Bucky’ Buckley, the company’s communications director and publishing manager, addressed this characterization during a talk at the Game Developers Conference last month. He noted that while the game gained significant attention after its 2021 reveal, the “Pokémon with guns” label emerged early and has persisted despite their efforts to move away from it.
In a subsequent interview, Buckley clarified that Pokémon was never a primary inspiration for Palworld. Although the development team includes fans of the franchise and acknowledges some similarities in monster-collecting mechanics, their main influence was ARK: Survival Evolved. They aimed to create a game that emphasized automation and featured creatures with unique personalities and abilities. The unexpected “Pokémon with guns” moniker, while contributing to the game’s initial popularity, doesn’t accurately represent its gameplay experience.
Buckley also mentioned that the audience for Palworld doesn’t significantly overlap with that of Pokémon, reinforcing that their game offers a distinct experience. He suggested an alternative description: “Palworld: It’s Kind of Like ARK if ARK Met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends,” though he acknowledged it lacks the brevity of the original label.
Source: IGN
