Palworld publishing lead ramps up his crusade against AI games, says "you're huffing pure copium if you think this is going anywhere" and "games like Megabonk will continue to body this for the next 50 years"

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I love that the Palworld dev, of all devs, is leading the charge against AI-generated games

Pal wields a massive turret in a screenshot from Palworld
(Image credit: Pocketpair)

Despite Palworld itself having faced - and vehemently denied - allegations of AI, Palworld developer Pocketpair is taking a firm and sharp-worded stance against AI-generated games. Pocketpair Publishing boss John 'Bucky' Buckley recently waved the anti-AI flag to developers thinking of pitching him AI-generated games, and now he's reacting to a video going around of what appears to be a game created using AI. And wouldn't you know it, he's not a big fan.

"I never understood this discussion," Bucky said in response to the video on Twitter. "Who is the audience? If you've played even one game then you've a rudimentary understand of games mechanics, so you know this absolute horseshit.

The above video, in case you don't care to watch it, appears to demonstrate a third-person shooter set in New York City coded by HyperWrite CEO Matt Shumer. For me at least, it's immediately apparent that it's an AI game, nestled oh so snugly in that uncanny valley that characterizes all AI-generated art in the technology's current era. I sure as hell wouldn't play it, but it's hard to deny that even 2024 me would probably be pretty impressed. Still, Bucky isn't having any of it.

"Am I out of touch? Has the industry already passed me by?" he continued. "I just don't get it. I think you're huffing pure copium if you think this is going anywhere. Games like Megabonk will continue to body this for the next 50 years. I say that with total confidence."

Indeed, if there's one game to stand tall against the incoming tide of AI slop, it's Megabonk, the roguelike indie hit that came out of nowhere and charmed the world with its sunglasses-wearing chimp mascot. Or, you know, that other little primate-centric game, Donkey Kong Bananza.

Counterpoint: Take-Two CEO calls generative AI "the future of technology" that "will increase employment," months after saying GTA 6's "creative genius is human"

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

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