Palworld Developer Pocketpair Takes Firm Stance Against AI-Generated Games

Pocketpair's Strong Anti-AI Position

Pocketpair, the developer behind the popular game Palworld, has taken a firm stance against artificial intelligence in game development. John Buckley, the communications director and publishing manager for Pocketpair's newly launched publishing arm, made it clear that the company will not be involved with games that heavily rely on AI, NFTs, or Web3 technologies 1

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"People are going to say I'm lying, but these are just the hard facts. We don't believe in it," Buckley stated emphatically 1

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. This position comes as a surprise to many, given that Pocketpair itself faced accusations of using AI in the development of Palworld, allegations which the company has consistently and vehemently denied 3

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The Looming AI Wave in Gaming

Despite Pocketpair's stance, Buckley acknowledges that the gaming industry is on the cusp of a significant shift. He predicts that the next few years will see a surge in low-quality, AI-generated games, particularly on platforms like Steam 2

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"I think over the next two or three years we're going to get into this weird era -- and you can see it slowly happening now on Steam -- of really low quality, AI-made games," Buckley explained 2

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. This influx of AI-generated content is expected to lead to what Buckley calls an "authenticity market," where consumers will actively seek out games made by human developers 4

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Challenges of AI Accusations

Pocketpair's experience with false AI accusations has shaped its approach to the technology. The company faced scrutiny over the perceived similarities between its Pal monsters and Pokémon characters, as well as allegations of using machine translation for localization 1

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Buckley expressed frustration with these unfounded claims, stating, "You know, I can't just come out and start fighting with these people [who make the AI accusations] because that just fuels what's going on" 1

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. He emphasized the difficulty in disproving such accusations, even when providing evidence to the contrary 3

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Industry Divided on AI's Role

The gaming industry remains divided on the use of AI in game development. While some, like Pocketpair, are taking a strong stance against it, others see potential benefits. For instance, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney believes that small teams will soon be able to use AI to create games on the scale of "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" 5

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However, Buckley remains skeptical of AI's capabilities in game creation. In response to a video showcasing an AI-generated game, he commented, "I think you're huffing pure copium if you think this is going anywhere. Games like Megabonk will continue to body this for the next 50 years. I say that with total confidence" 3

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As the debate continues, Pocketpair's stance highlights the growing concern over AI's impact on game development and the industry's struggle to balance technological advancements with creative integrity.