Pocketpair’s head of publishing and communications, John “Bucky” Buckley, has candidly admitted that the persistent wave of negativity directed at Palworld can occasionally take a toll on the development team.
It is somewhat startling to realize that Palworld is already entering its second year. While the title remains in Early Access, its evolution has been remarkable; it has already inspired dating simulator and farming game spinoffs and transformed Pocketpair into a legitimate publishing house. Despite this success, the “survival game with guns” remains tethered to the Pokémon legacy, facing both the stigma of being labeled a clone and a high-profile legal battle with Nintendo.
In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Buckley noted that while the game enjoys a massive and vibrant player base, it also attracts a specific breed of vocal critics. “Palworld is fortunate to have a very large and active community,” he explained, “but that also brings a significant number of contrarians who look for any excuse to attack.” He clarified that he isn’t referring to players who simply don’t enjoy the game, but rather those who seem to make “ranting and raving” about it their unofficial full-time occupation.
Buckley acknowledged that while these bad-faith actors have virtually no impact on the game’s actual trajectory, the developers are still human. “Naturally, the influence these people have is non-existent, but we’re only human, so there are times when even we can get swept up in that negativity,” he confessed.
Moving forward, Buckley says he is focused on “tuning out the performative drama” to prioritize the needs of the actual community. He concluded by saying, “I’d like to think I’m getting better at it!”
Looking for more? Palworld developers recently told critics to “spend your time more wisely” following the backlash over a new card game announcement.
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Source: gamesradar.com
