Palworld has rapidly gained immense popularity within just three days of its Early Access launch, emerging as both a widely embraced game and a highly contentious one.
Certain members of the artistic community, game developers, and concerned individuals have leveled two primary accusations against the game. Firstly, they allege that Palworld borrows elements from Pokémon to construct its “Pals.” Secondly, there are claims that the developer, Pocket Pair, has integrated GenAI technology into the game.
As of now, concrete evidence to substantiate these claims is lacking. While the allegations have sparked discussions, there is no definitive proof of GenAI utilization in the game’s design or assets. Here is a breakdown of the key points and references being cited:
- In tweets from 2021, Pocket Pair’s CEO, Takuro Mizobe, expressed interest in an experiment involving the generation of Pokémon using early AI tools, later featured in a Buzzfeed quiz. While some interpret this as evidence of Mizobe employing GenAI to create Pokémon models, such assertions remain unsubstantiated. Mizobe has also discussed GenAI in 2022 tweets, viewing it as a potentially beneficial advancement.
- In 2022, Pocket Pair released a game called AI: Art Imposter, which included an internal GenAI system prompting players to identify the image sources. The game’s description references commanding AI to generate images, a statement perceived differently by various audiences.
These are the primary focal points regarding the alleged use of GenAI in Palworld’s development or content. Despite the CEO’s interest in AI and Pocket Pair’s previous utilization of GenAI in a meta-context, there is no definitive evidence linking AI technology to Palworld itself, despite widespread accusations labeling it as an “AI product.”
While the possibility of Palworld incorporating AI cannot be entirely discounted, current evidence is lacking. Pocket Pair has been contacted for clarification on the matter. Additionally:
- A blog post from January 2024 by Pocket Pair highlights an artist, previously rejected by numerous companies, now contributing significantly to character design in Palworld.
- Steam has introduced a policy requiring game submissions to disclose AI usage, with details displayed on the Steam store page for customer transparency. Notably, such disclosures are absent from Palworld’s store page.
While the CEO’s interest in GenAI and the company’s experimentation with AI are acknowledged, the absence of concrete proof raises doubts regarding the allegations. It is plausible that evidence may surface regarding AI integration in the game, potentially violating Steam’s disclosure policy. However, until substantiated evidence emerges, the claims remain speculative. Palworld’s discussions on monster design credit a specific artist, differentiating the debate from AI accusations and potential content theft from Pokémon.
Further updates will be provided pending Pocket Pair’s response.
