Palworld emerged as a remarkable success story in 2024, achieving impressive sales figures and record-breaking player counts on Steam. However, its immense popularity, combined with discernible visual resemblances to other titles, made it a target for backlash and outright harassment. John “Bucky” Buckley, the community manager at Pocketpair, noted that this situation contributed to the studio’s silence during the initial months following Palworld’s release.
“In those early months, there were numerous distressing incidents, not just accusations but also death threats,” Buckley shared in an interview at the Game Developers Conference earlier this month. “I can’t recall the exact number, but we attempted to address the AI allegations two or three times, only to find that it was just feeding the flames.”
Palworld faced frequent accusations of utilizing generative AI for its creature designs, but the team consistently refuted these claims. “We drafted a comprehensive statement regarding this matter,” Buckley recounted, “and we revised it multiple times, debating whether we should release it. Ultimately, we felt it would be pointless, as there would always be a core group convinced of the accusations, primarily because it suits their agenda. We found ourselves wondering if we should just step back completely for a while.”
This period coincided with a significant update that included “Xbox server enhancements,” Buckley explained. “The team was overwhelmed, and we were all feeling the strain from the social media backlash. Our CEO was facing daily scrutiny in Japan, with the media dissecting every tweet he sent. We were all just exhausted. For a couple of months, we chose to remain silent, which only fueled the rumors that ‘Palworld is dead.’ Our quietness, coupled with the natural decline in player numbers, led to this narrative gaining traction.”
In reality, Palworld was never “dead,” and it has consistently maintained robust player numbers on Steam since its launch—numbers that surge significantly with each new update. Buckley has consistently voiced his thoughts on the notion of “dead” games. Regardless of personal opinions about Palworld, it is evident that the game is here to stay.
Palworld developer believes “very few companies could endure” a launch like theirs: “Many might falter under threats, pressure, and negativity.”