Pocketpair Says No to AI Games in Publishing Strategy

Palworld developer Pocketpair launched its publishing division in January with a clear mission: help other studios bring their games to life. But there’s one type of project they won’t touch—anything involving generative AI. John Buckley, Pocketpair’s communications director and publishing manager, spoke about this stance at gamescom asia with Game Developer. “We don’t believe in it,” he said.

“If you’re big on AI stuff or your game is Web3 or uses NFTs, there are lots of publishers out there, but we’re not the right partner for that.”

Buckley predicts the gaming landscape will shift dramatically in the next few years. “I think over the next two or three years we’re going to get into this weird era of really low quality, AI-made games,” he explained. He pointed out that while Steam has been good at keeping such titles out, that’s starting to change.

This expected influx will push players and developers to scrutinize games more carefully, trying to separate human-made content from machine-generated work. Buckley called this an “authenticity market” where people will look for studios genuinely trying to make something special.

For Pocketpair, dealing with AI accusations has become a recurring challenge. Buckley described it as difficult because it relies on people trusting a company they’ve already decided not to trust.

While Buckley acknowledges legitimate concerns about undisclosed AI use in the industry, he believes studios like Pocketpair sometimes face unfair accusations that amount to a “witch hunt.” Meanwhile, major companies including EA, Embracer Group, and Microsoft continue promoting AI integration in game development.

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