Gamers have been calling Palworld “Pokémon with guns” ever since it was revealed in June 2021, but its launch and immediate success have led to additional controversy regarding potential similarities to the legendary Nintendo franchise—specifically over concerns about its use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Just three days after its Jan. 19 launch, the early access build blew away everyone’s expectations considering just how many people are playing Palworld. But with that success came additional scrutiny from skeptical onlookers who were already watching the game with sharp eyes. So, when a few potentially concerning patterns and comments from the developers came to light, they instantly sparked a raging inferno of controversy surrounding Palworld that won’t die down.
Does Palworld use AI art for its Pokémon-like designs?
From the first trailer to the launch of the game, Pokémon fans were quick to point out how similar some of the Palworld Pals are to existing Pokémon designs. In some cases, it seems blatant, while other Pals look like they just combine several elements that can be compared to a few Pokémon. But does that mean Palworld developer Pocketpair is using AI art?
Some of the most obvious comparisons come from Verdash looking like a one-to-one remix of a Grass-type Cinderace, right down to the cuffs on its knees, or Grintale’s face looking like a reshaded version of Galarian Meowth. Artists across the internet have been chiming in, especially those vehemently against AI art replacing the work of actual creatives, with one popular Fakémon designer Barbie-Élite4 claiming they think 90 percent of Palworld’s designs are straight-up ripping 3D assets from Pokémon.
In a detailed thread on X, formerly Twitter, Barbie-Élite4 breaks down which Pals show clear model resemblances to specific Pokémon, whether that be something as small as Sobble’s fin or the entire Mega Aggron model. But, if you pay attention, the most common argument against Palworld and Pocketpair is that the Pal designs lazily use similar concepts to certain Pokémon at best, or rip off 3D models at worst—not that AI is involved.
At the time of writing, there is no proof that Pocketpair has used AI art in any major form during the development of Palworld. The main discussion of creative integrity lies in how the creature designs may have been copied from Pokémon. The AI discourse comes in when you start examining Pocketpair’s other work and prior development history.
Why do people think Palworld uses AI art? Palworld AI discourse, explained
Pocketpair doesn’t have a stellar record of being independently creative with its previous work, considering Craftopia was similarly accused of ripping off designs and elements from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Genshin Impact while adding in a few extra features, like multiplayer. The company’s next in-progress title, Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse, looks like it’s doing the same song and dance for Hollow Knight.
Additionally, the game Pocketpair released before Palworld is literally called AI: Art Impostor and uses AI to generate art in real-time.
Pair that history with Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe’s own slew of comments regarding the use of AI, IP usage, and copyright, and more concerns arise regarding just what the team behind Palworld did during development. Things look especially grim considering Mizobe himself posted about AI-generated Pokémon designs in the past, and confirmed just this week that the majority of the over 100 Pals in Palworld were designed by a single “new graduate” to round out a team of self-proclaimed amateurs.
In a November 2022 interview with Wired Japan, Mizobe noted that he disagrees with Nintendo’s style of making games that centers on a “strong philosophy of creating new and unique games with high quality.” Instead, he cares more about getting as many people to play his games while making development easier. “I have a deep-seated desire to have as many people as possible enjoy my games, so if there are good ideas in the world, I will pick them up. I want to create in a more appropriate manner, or rather, I want to create with an easygoing approach. I think it’s okay to create in that way, like jumping on the bandwagon (laughs),” Mizobe said to Wired JP.
Mizobe’s comments combined with the nature of Pocket Pair’s games looking and playing similar to other popular titles, as well as their last project actively using AI, paints a negative picture of Palworld. It also doesn’t help that Mizobe is also heavily involved in the Crypto space. There is a real concern Pocketpair used AI in place of actual creative design during the game’s development, but no proof has been shown, and a good portion of Palworld’s massive playerbase likely won’t care even if it’s true.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company haven’t made any statements or taken legal action against Pocketpair or Palworld. So, unless that happens in the future, this will just be another instance of heated discourse in the gaming and art community surrounding AI and potential asset ripping.
