Palworld Devs Aren't Fans of the 'Pokemon With Guns' Moniker

When you think of Palworld, the phrase "Pokemon with guns" might immediately come to mind. This shorthand, popularized across the internet, undoubtedly played a role in its meteoric rise to fame, blending the unexpected elements of beloved monster-collecting games with firearms. Even we at IGN have used this phrase to describe it, much like everyone else, making it a convenient and easily understandable label for newcomers.

However, according to Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager, John 'Bucky' Buckley, the "Pokemon with guns" label was never the intended focus. Speaking at the Game Developers Conference, Buckley expressed that Pocketpair doesn't particularly love the moniker. He recounted the game's initial reveal in June 2021 at the Indie Live Expo in Japan, which was well-received by the local audience. But it was the Western media that quickly branded it as a "certain franchise" plus guns, a label that has stuck despite efforts to shake it off.

In an interview following his talk, Buckley clarified that Pokemon was never part of the original pitch for Palworld. While the development team consists of Pokemon fans who recognized the similarities, their goal was to create a game more akin to ARK: Survival Evolved. Buckley shared that many on the team were fans of ARK and their previous game, Craftopia, drew inspiration from it. The vision for Palworld was to expand on ARK's concepts, emphasizing automation and giving each creature unique personalities and abilities. Yet, when the first trailer was released, the "Pokemon with guns" tagline emerged, much to the team's chagrin.

Buckley acknowledged that the "Pokemon with guns" label did contribute significantly to Palworld's success. He mentioned that Dave Oshry from New Blood Interactive even trademarked "Pokemonwithguns.com," further fueling the game's viral spread. However, Buckley expressed a hope that players would give Palworld a chance beyond this initial impression, as the gameplay is quite distinct.

He also noted that he doesn't see Pokemon as a direct competitor to Palworld, pointing out that the audiences for the two games don't significantly overlap. Instead, he views ARK as a closer parallel. Buckley even questioned the concept of competition in gaming, suggesting that the so-called "console wars" are more about manufactured marketing strategies than genuine rivalry. With the abundance of games available, he believes competition is more about timing than direct competition between titles.

If Buckley could choose a different viral tagline for Palworld, he suggested, "Palworld: It's Kind of Like ARK if ARK Met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends." Though he admitted it doesn't roll off the tongue as smoothly as "Pokemon with guns."

Buckley and I also spoke about the potential of Palworld coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired, and more in our interview. You can read the full discussion right here.