PocketPair CEO says he “can’t thank streamers enough” for spreading word about Palworld, expressing gratitude amidst video game streaming controversy 

Takuro Mizobe, the CEO of Palworld developer PocketPair, recently took to his personal X account to express his thoughts on video game content creators. This didn’t come out of the blue though, as over the past few days, there’s been some tense discourse about video game YouTubers and Twitch streamers in the Japanese gaming community. 

It all started when the author of a recently launched visual novel game called Apathy Murder Club publicly spoke about taking legal measures against a content creator that broke the embargo and streamed multiple endings of their game on its launch day. Rules set by developers about the streaming of their games are generally taken more seriously in Japan than in overseas circles, and uploading full gameplay of linear, story-driven games such as visual novels is often seen as harmful to the creator and their income. Thus, the said developer’s lengthy X thread on the issue gained significant traction, and among it, criticism for content creators who disregard streaming guidelines. 

PocketPair’s CEO also chimed in on the topic, commenting that “this was a very unfortunate incident caused by an individual with poor manners” and that “it is important for developers and players to respect each other and follow each other’s rules,” as there are developers who do not wish for their games to be streamed and game genres that do not benefit from the act.  

At the same time, Mizobe brought back some positivity into the conversation – “but I wanted to comment here to say that most game content creators do follow the rules, and that there are many developers who are happy to see their games being streamed.” He cites the example of PocketPair’s games, which have benefited greatly from exposure on YouTube and Twitch. “I can’t thank streamers enough for making PocketPair’s games enjoyable for so many people.” 

On that note, among video games that launched in 2024, Palworld has so far been the most popular release on Twitch, being watched for over 78 million hours. 

But aside from helping spread the word, Mizobe also mentions that watching streams and even casual Discord lives has helped motivate the development team and provided them with valuable player feedback. “I also believe that the culture of streaming games is a wonderful thing in itself, and I think that game content creators play a big role in lighting up the gaming industry,” PocketPair’s CEO comments.