Palworld Cost Pocketpair Less Than $150 Million, New Details on the Game Revealed

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Destin Legarie from the Save State Plus podcast interviewed Bucky, the Director of Publishing and Communications at Pocketpair, the studio behind the survival game Palworld and other exciting projects. Here’s what we learned from the conversation. Palworld is currently available for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bucky shared his experience with Pocketpair, recalling the time before the release of Craftopia, the studio’s previous title. Initially, he worked on localization and community management, but over time, he took over all community-related responsibilities. Describing the early days, Bucky emphasized that the company was small and humble at the time, headquartered in a shared, rented space in central Tokyo, with most employees working remotely, creating a relaxed atmosphere focused on creativity and fun.

“We were really small and humble. The office was in a rented space we shared with about eight other small companies in central Tokyo. However, most employees, including me, were working remotely. I rarely went to the office. The atmosphere was quiet, relaxed, a bit boyish—it was all about having fun and making games. Now it’s… well, I don’t know, ‘quadruple A’ or whatever they call it these days. But yeah, it’s definitely big business now.”

How Palworld Changed the Company

The conversation then shifted to Palworld, where Bucky revealed that the team expected a decent initial launch, but no one could have predicted the game’s incredible success, which reached over 25 million players. The first days after release were filled with shock and panic as the team scrambled to respond to the immense community interest. He also disclosed that the game’s development cost was less than $150 million.

While the initial player count was massive, Bucky admitted that the active player base has now stabilized. The team’s current focus is on technical improvements, including crossplay and server transfer, to extend the game’s lifespan. Pocketpair is now expanding into publishing, driven by the huge interest from development teams and investors following Palworld‘s success. Bucky explained that founding a publishing arm was not planned but was the result of numerous opportunities that arose after the game’s launch.

“We started getting emails from investors and venture capital firms. As the weeks went on, various game studios, indie developers, and even major AAA companies, names that would surprise many, were reaching out. The message was always the same: ‘We need funding.’ For months, we debated and analyzed what we could realistically do to help development teams that were struggling to survive.”

Palworld Controversies: AI-Generated Models and the Impact of Streamers

Bucky also addressed the controversies surrounding Palworld, particularly the accusations that the 3D models were stolen or AI-generated. He categorically rejected these claims, emphasizing that all designs were done internally by the team in collaboration with artists and with community feedback. He also spoke about the influence of streamers and social media on the game’s popularity. While the controversies did lead to greater visibility, he said it’s difficult to measure their true impact on sales or player engagement.

“I have to disappoint you, unfortunately, they were made by human artists. Whether you believe that or not is up to you. The design process was pretty straightforward: a team of internal concept artists would spend days sketching out new Pals. Then the project manager and director would review them and choose the ones with potential. After that, the designs were further developed and colored, and everyone voted on the ones they liked, disliked, or thought needed refinement.”

He also shared an interesting story about a design that never made it into the game: a Pal that looks like a shark but with a small creature inside its mouth.

“Actually, the actual Pal was that little creature inside, not the shark. The idea caused months of discussion and never made it into the game. I still argue about it to this day. Maybe now that I’ve mentioned it, I can get my CEO to change his mind.”

The Future of Pocketpair and Palworld

Regarding the future, Bucky confirmed that the main priority is to complete Palworld and reach version 1.0, while the team simultaneously works on other projects. Plans include adding new content and technical improvements, as well as the possibility of bringing the game to new platforms, including handheld consoles like the Steam Deck.

“Craftopia is still in active development, even though some people think otherwise. The team is dedicatedly working on it, even though it’s small. They have no desire to shift focus, and the game will reach version 1.0 when they feel it’s truly ready. As for our other games, OverDungeon has been finished for a while, but we recently revived it for a Switch version, which came out last month or this month. Whether we’ll add more content in the future remains to be seen, but it’s possible.”