Palworld Rejects AI Art

A sharp divide is splitting the gaming world as players and developers push back against generative AI. The head of publishing and communication at Pocket Pair developer, John Buckley, has confirmed that gamers simply do not want this technology in their titles.

Buckley compared this sudden rush of artificial intelligence to early cryptocurrency hype, arguing that those pushing it hardest are industry outsiders looking to get rich quick. He pointed out that Pocket Pair employs a large team of in-house artists who love doing the work themselves, making it pointless to replace them with automated tools.

While he acknowledges that AI has less dismissible value when used as a search tool or a coding assistant, he remains highly skeptical of its role in creative assets. Buckley added that triggering a massive social media backlash over AI art is never worth it, especially when players look at a game and wonder why the developers couldn't just create it themselves.

This latest stance aligns with Buckley's statements from last year when he confirmed that Pocket Pair refused to publish games containing generative AI. As more games on Steam are forced to disclose their use of the tech, Buckley believes the conversation is practically over if the players themselves refuse to embrace it.