(Image credit: Pocketpair)
Palworld emerged as an astounding success in 2024, boasting colossal sales and breaking Steam player records. Yet, with its soaring fame came an avalanche of criticism, partly due to its noticeable visual resemblances to other popular games. This led to a storm of harassment. Pocketpair’s community manager, John “Bucky” Buckley, attributes this to the studio’s sudden silence post-launch.
In a revealing chat during the Game Developers Conference, Buckley shared, “There were profoundly distressing moments in those initial months, beyond the accusations, including death threats.” They attempted to address AI-related criticisms, but this often backfired, intensifying negativity. Despite drafting an extensive statement, Buckley admitted, “Posting it seemed pointless, as some individuals would always cling to their beliefs regardless.” Thus, the team opted for a hiatus.
This occurred amid a significant update tackling “Xbox server stuff,” Buckley explained. The crew was exhausted from social media pressures, and the relentless scrutiny on their CEO by Japanese media added stress. This fatigue led to a period of silence, fueling rumors of a “Palworld is dead” scenario, especially as player numbers naturally waned.
Nevertheless, Palworld has strived, showing robust Steam player activity since day one, with spikes following updates. Buckley remains vocal about the misnomer of “dead” games, underscoring the game’s enduring presence.
The developers believe that “very few companies could endure” a launch as tumultuous as theirs, highlighting the immense strain from threats and negativity that many might succumb to. Palworld‘s resilience exemplifies its ongoing commitment to its community and longevity in the gaming world.