Palworld Devs Reject 'Pokemon With Guns' Label

When you think of Palworld, the phrase "Pokemon with guns" likely springs to mind. This shorthand, widely used across the internet, contributed significantly to the game's initial surge in popularity due to the intriguing blend of two seemingly disparate concepts. Even we at IGN have used this phrase, as have many others, because it's a quick and effective way to 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 takeaway. In fact, Buckley expressed during a talk at the Game Developers Conference that Pocketpair doesn't particularly love this moniker. He recounted the game's reveal 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 shake it off.

In a follow-up interview, Buckley elaborated that Pokemon was never part of the initial pitch for Palworld. While the development team includes fans of Pokemon, and they recognized the similarities in monster collecting, their true inspiration was ARK: Survival Evolved. Buckley explained that many team members were avid ARK players and that their previous game, Craftopia, drew inspiration from ARK. The goal was to expand on ARK's concept, focusing on automation and giving each creature unique personalities and abilities. Yet, after the first trailer was released, the "Pokemon with guns" label emerged, which, while not ideal, undeniably helped boost the game's visibility.

Buckley acknowledged that the "Pokemon with guns" label played a significant role in Palworld's success. He mentioned that Dave Oshry from New Blood Interactive even trademarked "Pokemonwithguns.com," further fueling the game's notoriety. However, Buckley expressed a mild frustration that some people still believe this label accurately describes the gameplay, which he insists is not the case. He encourages players to try the game before forming an opinion.

Interestingly, Buckley doesn't see Pokemon as a direct competitor to Palworld, citing minimal audience crossover and pointing to ARK as a more apt comparison. He also dismissed the notion of competition in the gaming industry as largely manufactured, suggesting that the real challenge lies in timing releases rather than competing with specific games. Even the success of Helldivers 2, which many Palworld players also purchased, doesn't change his view on competition.

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." He admits, though, that it doesn't quite have the same catchy ring as "Pokemon with guns."

Buckley and I also discussed the potential for Palworld on the Nintendo Switch 2, the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired, and more in our full interview, which you can read here.