After using AI in his own games, the Palworld developer strongly advises other studios against it

Game News After using AI in his own games, the Palworld developer strongly advises other studios against it

See Xbox Game Pass at Microsoft

When Palworld developers use AI…

Even though the hype has died down a bit since the early days, Palworld is undoubtedly one of the most popular games of 2024. Just a few days after its release, it had already recorded several million sales, a real achievement for what some considered only “Pokémon with weapons”. However, the success was not without turbulence. Accusations of plagiarism or even the use of generative AI – the developers of Palworld have seen all the colors. So far, PocketPair has not been accused of plagiarism and the use of AI for this game has always been denied. However, this has not always been the case.

In fact, Palworld is not the first game from PocketPair, quite the opposite. Craftopia, Nevergrave and Overdungeon are three more, but mostly AI: Art fraudsters what we are talking about today. Published in 2022, This turn-based drawing game was based in its entire concept on the use of this famous generative AI. Small problem, this technology uses the works of tens of thousands of artists around the world without their consent to generate an image, raising enormous ethical concerns and putting absolutely every artistic profession at risk. A problem that didn’t seem to be a problem for PocketPair at the time, but one that they are starting to take seriously.

---

…Then advise others against it

It is difficult to say whether they cared about the lives of artists out of altruism or simply to restore their image after being highlighted by many people at the time of Palworld’s release, but this is clear PocketPair seems to have recognized the dangers of generative AI. In an interview with the Japanese website GameSpark (and translated by AutomatonMedia), CEO Takuro Mizobe explained:

Artificial intelligence is in a transition phase. While many consider it a remarkable technology, it is also considered artistically unacceptable due to the way it learns to generate images.

AI: Art Impostor is a game we developed at a time when generative AI seemed to be on the rise, which made us say, “We need to make a game that uses this technology!” Personally, I think it’s a good game, but we’ve received mixed feedback on it.

We’re in the entertainment business, so we shouldn’t go down a path that upsets people. I want us to keep a certain distance from technological advances.

You will have understood: Even though PocketPair has used generative AI in the past, they have no intention of making the same mistake again anytime soon. Enough to reassure some artists who might despair given the success of their latest game and the image this could reflect on their fight. It remains to be seen whether PocketPair will honor these commitments, especially if AI is indeed democratized in the industry.