Pocketpair Publishing Pushes Back Against Harsh Indie Contracts

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New indie publishing arm from Palworld developer Pocketpair, Pocketpair Publishing, was not created as a growth plan or profit move. Instead, it grew out of the studio’s sudden success and a desire to give something back to an industry that is struggling. It also became a response to what the team sees as unfair and harmful publishing contracts that many indie developers now accept as normal.

Speaking with The Game Business, Pocketpair’s communications and publishing lead John “Bucky” Buckley explained that everything changed after Palworld launched. The game’s huge success brought a wave of emails and pitches from small developers looking for funding. Many of them were not asking for large sums, but they were desperate for support in a market where indie funding has become harder to find.

Pocketpair itself has mostly self-published its games, so the publishing side of the industry was unfamiliar territory. What shocked Buckley was not the number of pitches, but the terms developers had come to accept. He described meeting very small teams who were ready to give up all of their revenue for an entire year, sometimes longer, in exchange for relatively modest funding.

Buckley said it was hard to believe how common this had become. Developers were willing to sacrifice years of income just to finish a game they deeply cared about. For Pocketpair, this felt wrong, especially when the studio was in a strong financial position thanks to Palworld’s success.

With Pocketpair Publishing, the company decided it could offer funding without demanding extreme revenue cuts. Buckley said the studio is not short on money right now, which allows it to support indie developers without locking them into harsh deals. The goal is to give teams what they need to finish their games while letting them earn money from sales right away.

These deals are designed to be much fairer than the industry norm. Instead of forcing developers to wait until costs are fully paid back before they see any income, Pocketpair’s approach allows developers to survive from the first sale. This removes the long wait that many indie creators face before their work pays off.

Pocketpair Publishing also takes a very hands-off role. Buckley compared it to the indie investment fund created by Among Us developer Innersloth. The company mostly lets teams work on their games without interference, stepping in only to offer advice when asked. The only major exception is in Asia, where Pocketpair may directly handle publishing due to its experience in that market.

Buckley made it clear that Pocketpair does not buy studios, take ownership of intellectual property, or try to control development. The company simply funds the game and lets creators stay independent. In his words, Pocketpair Publishing is there to support, not to take over.