When you think of Palworld, the immediate association for many is "Pokemon with guns." This catchy, if reductive, phrase took the internet by storm when the game first gained popularity, significantly contributing to its viral success. The combination of familiar monster-collecting gameplay with the unexpected twist of firearms caught everyone's attention, including us at IGN, as we too used this shorthand to describe it. It was a convenient way to quickly convey the game's premise to newcomers.

However, according to John 'Bucky' Buckley, Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager, the "Pokemon with guns" label was never the intended focus. Speaking at the Game Developers Conference, Buckley expressed that the team wasn't thrilled with this moniker. Palworld was first showcased at the Indie Live Expo in Japan in June 2021, where it received a warm reception. But as Western media picked up on the game, it was quickly branded with the "Pokemon with guns" tag, a label that has persisted despite the team's efforts to distance themselves from it.

In a follow-up interview, Buckley clarified that Pokemon was never part of their initial pitch. While the team includes Pokemon fans and acknowledged the similarities, their true inspiration was ARK: Survival Evolved. "A lot of us are huge ARK people, and our previous game, Craftopia, kind of has some stuff in it that we really loved from ARK and some ideas from ARK," Buckley explained. The goal was to expand on ARK's concept, emphasizing automation and giving each creature unique personalities and abilities.

Despite their reservations, Buckley admits that the "Pokemon with guns" label played a significant role in Palworld's success. "Yeah, I mean, that was big," he said, noting even humorous instances like Dave Oshry from New Blood Interactive trademarking 'Pokemonwithguns.com'. Yet, Buckley feels frustrated by those who believe this phrase accurately describes the gameplay experience. He encourages players to try the game for themselves before forming an opinion.

Buckley also dismisses the notion that Palworld directly competes with Pokemon, suggesting that their audiences don't significantly overlap. Instead, he sees ARK as a closer parallel, though he doesn't view Palworld as in direct competition with any specific game. "I've gotten in trouble for ranting about the ‘console wars’ before, but I think the competition in games is kind of manufactured for the sake of it," he remarked, emphasizing that the gaming industry's real competition is often more about timing than direct rivalry.

If Buckley could choose a different viral tagline, he suggested something like, "Palworld: It's Kind of Like ARK if ARK Met Factorio and Happy Tree Friends." He acknowledged, however, that this doesn't quite have the same catchy appeal as "Pokemon with guns."

Our conversation with Buckley also touched on the potential for Palworld on the Nintendo Switch 2, the possibility of Pocketpair being acquired, and more. You can dive into the full interview for all the details.