Palworld dev shares stance on generative AI in future games: “We don’t want to actively pursue something that upsets people” 

As its popularity exploded in January this year, PocketPair’s Palworld got entangled in rumors about AI-generated game assets. The company has since denied the accusations, emphasizing the efforts of their in-house artists and showcasing their behind-the-scenes work on designing the game’s colorful Pals (Related article). But what is the developer’s stance on gen AI, and will they be using it in future titles? PocketPair CEO Takuro Mizobe recently commented on the topic in an interview with Game*Spark. 

It’s not very widely known, but PocketPair previously released a small-scale game that revolves around AI art, appropriately titled AI: Art Imposter. Commenting on this 2022 title and the topic of generative AI in general, PocketPair’s CEO Takuro Mizobe notes, “AI is in a stage of transition. While many regard it as remarkable in terms of technology, it’s also seen as unacceptable from an artistic point of view and because of how machine learning works.”  

Mizobe considers that with generative AI becoming a widespread tool in various fields, it will “unavoidably” find its place in game development at some point, but that this needs to be approached with caution. 

“AI: Art Impostor is something we made at a time when generative AI seemed like it would take off, which made us go, ‘We’ve got to make a game using this technology!’ Personally, I think it ended up being a good game, but we’ve received various opinions about it.” It seems that users’ reactions are the deal-breaker for Mizobe on this topic, as he notes, “What we’re making is entertainment, so I don’t want us to actively pursue something that’s going to upset people. I want us to maintain a healthy distance from technological advancements.” 

Mizobe’s stance on using gen AI in game development is reminiscent of Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu, who recently shifted from a policy of “aggressively” adopting AI technology to a more cautious approach that focuses on reading the room and staying in tune with public opinion regarding the matter (Related article). Nintendo has similarly refrained from making an explicit decision about AI, stating that they will keep observing future developments and maintain a “flexible approach” on the matter.