John Buckley
Reporting and statements that mention John Buckley.
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Palworld Palfarm is less like Stardew Valley than you might expect, lead says, but it "is more on the cozier…
Pocketpair's John Buckley clarified that Palworld: Palfarm is not a direct comparison to Stardew Valley, describing it as cozier and less violent than the base Palworld game. While details are scarce, Buckley emphasized that Palfarm will be visually appealing and retain a "tongue-in-cheek" Palworld feel, aiming to surprise players.
"What you're talking about is Palworld 2": Pocketpair lead desperately asks players to stop asking for features that just "aren't possible" like terrain digging
Pocketpair's head of publishing, John Buckley, expressed frustration with player requests for features like terrain digging in Palworld, stating such additions would essentially require developing a sequel. He highlighted that these requests are not feasible due to engine and landscape rework complexities, and that players should not expect them. Buckley also touched on the perceived loss of meaning in Steam's Early Access program, suggesting it has been abused.
Palworld publishing chief worries early access has 'lost its meaning' as the rise of 'hyper-casual' gaming culture means people often don't understand what they're getting into
Pocketpair's John Buckley believes the concept of early access gaming has lost its meaning due to the rise of hyper-casual gaming culture. He argues that players now often treat early access titles like finished products, diminishing the collaborative feedback loop developers rely on. Buckley suggests developers must be transparent with players about update schedules and content to manage expectations.
Palworld lead worries Steam early access has "lost its meaning": players treat it like "a normal game" and the program has been "abused for a lot of reasons"
John Buckley, communications and publishing lead for Palworld developer Pocketpair, expresses concern that Steam's Early Access program has lost its original meaning. He believes players now treat Early Access games like finished products, leading to unrealistic expectations and a decline in meaningful feedback, which he feels has been "abused for a lot of reasons."
"Palworld's not finished": With update 1.1 coming, Pocketpair lead says "we're doing something players have been screaming at us to do" after the "soft prologue" of 1.0
Pocketpair's lead John Buckley stated that Palworld's upcoming update 1.1 will address a highly requested feature that was intentionally omitted from the 1.0 release to avoid hindering its launch. He described the initial release as a 'soft prologue' and indicated that the studio is now comfortable adding features that may not have been part of the original vision.
After 6 years, the survival game Palworld studio Pocketpair "would not exist without" is finally ready to escape Steam Early Access jail – and hopefully, its "Mostly Negative" rating, too
Pocketpair has announced that its six-year-old survival game, Craftopia, will finally leave Steam Early Access and launch its 1.0 version in 2027. The studio, which "would not exist without" Craftopia, also teased an Xbox release for the same year. The game currently holds a "Mostly Negative" rating on Steam, with feedback citing it as unfinished and abandoned.
People don't understand Steam player numbers, Palworld lead says: "Poor Marathon and stuff are getting dragged through the mud ... I'm sure our day's coming"
John Buckley, publishing lead at Pocketpair, believes that the focus on Steam player numbers as a sole metric for game success is misleading. He argues that player falloff is normal and that concurrent user counts don't tell the whole story, especially for multiplatform games. Buckley suggests that Daily Active Users (DAU) would be a more informative metric for understanding a game's actual player base.
Pocketpair lead thought if Palworld 1.0 hit 200k concurrent players, "that'd be party time" – then…
Pocketpair's John Buckley expressed surprise at Palworld 1.0's success, stating that reaching 200,000 concurrent players would have been cause for celebration. The game instead achieved 960,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, far exceeding expectations and significantly impacting the studio. Buckley also discussed the development of related titles like Palfarm, aiming to cater to a broader audience within the Palworld universe.
Palworld and No Man's Sky are intensifying their months-long flirtation, and if those two don't just kiss…
Developers from Palworld and No Man's Sky, Pocketpair and Hello Games respectively, have engaged in a public flirtation regarding a potential collaboration. This exchange, involving key figures like Sean Murray and John Buckley, has intensified over social media, with both studios expressing interest and referencing past interactions and song lyrics.
Palworld and No Man's Sky leads pour more fuel on the potential collab fire and fans are convinced it's finally happening: "My 2 favorite games together? Yes please"
Developers from Palworld and No Man's Sky are continuing to hint at a potential collaboration between the two games, fueling fan speculation. Following past teasing and playful exchanges on social media, including references to Eminem's 'Stan,' both game leads are keeping the possibility alive, though logistical challenges remain.
"Many people" tried securing a Palworld collab and failed, lead says, but Pocketpair isn't unique: "Almost every popular game is getting collab offers"
Pocketpair's publishing lead, John Buckley, stated that Palworld receives numerous collaboration offers, many of which are rejected due to not fitting the game's survival ethos. He believes this is common for popular games, noting that while they are open to collaborations with titles like Fortnite, No Man's Sky, and Ark, they are discerning about which partnerships to pursue.
Palworld’s First Post-Launch Update Won’t Spend a Year in Development, Says Pocketpair
Pocketpair is planning the first major post-launch update for Palworld, with development not expected to take a full year. The studio is soliciting player ideas but aims for smaller, focused additions rather than massive overhauls. This approach aligns with their philosophy of not wanting to overextend long-term support for the game.
Pocketpair 'not planning to spend a year making a massive update' for Palworld 1.1
Pocketpair's John Buckley clarified that the upcoming Palworld 1.1 update will not involve a year-long development cycle for massive undertakings like adding new continents or levels. While the team is open to suggestions, they aim for more manageable updates rather than a complete overhaul. The release date for Palworld 1.1 remains unannounced.
Palworld devs "not planning to spend a year" making a "massive" 1.1 update, publishing lead clarifies after quickly regretting asking fans for ideas
Palworld publishing lead John Buckley clarified that Pocketpair is not planning a year-long development cycle for a massive 1.1 update, despite player suggestions for large-scale additions like new continents. The team is focusing on more realistic updates, similar to recent patches that improved base building and expedition rewards, with larger content drops reserved for potential future major versions.
Palworld fans 'do not realize the sheer number of collabs we've rejected' even with the survival…
Palworld's publishing head, John Buckley, revealed that the studio has rejected numerous collaboration proposals, emphasizing a selective approach to partnerships. While acknowledging the appeal of collaborations like the one with Terraria, Pocketpair prioritizes maintaining the game's core identity and fun-first approach over simply adding content for its own sake.
Palworld lead tells fans they "simply do not realize the sheer number of collabs we've rejected" because…
Pocketpair's John Buckley stated that Palworld has rejected a significant number of collaboration offers, emphasizing the company's 'fun-first' approach. While acknowledging some players prefer lore-focused partnerships, Buckley highlighted that only collaborations that genuinely make sense are pursued, citing examples like Terraria, Valheim, and Ultrakill.
Echoing Palworld dev, video game lawyer says all her clients have anti-AI contracts because gamers hate it and it's a copyright landmine: "I think we're going to see lawsuits"
Video game lawyer Haley MacLean reports that nearly all her clients now include anti-generative AI clauses in their contracts due to widespread gamer disapproval and significant copyright concerns. She highlights the legal risks, including potential lawsuits over ownership and infringement, advising studios to avoid the technology altogether. The trend reflects a growing industry-wide caution regarding AI's use in game development and asset creation.
Palworld 1.0 is "very much for the fans," so the Pocketpair devs "weren't really thinking about critic reception at all," lead says
Pocketpair's John Buckley explained that Palworld 1.0's lack of critic reviews is because the team prioritized keeping the content a secret for fans rather than engaging in traditional press outreach. He acknowledged that this approach might differ for future titles, as the company is relatively new to the media relations aspect of the industry.
"A lot of these things are actually not made by us," Palworld lead explains following card game launch and MMO…
Pocketpair's John Buckley clarified that while Pocketpair developed Palworld, other companies like Krafton and Garena are responsible for the mobile spin-offs Palworld Mobile and Palworld Online, respectively. Buckley emphasized that Pocketpair remains self-funded and self-owned despite licensing out the intellectual property for various projects.
Pocketpair lead says "TemTem are not our rivals" as the series gets its own Palworld-like survival game
Pocketpair's head of publishing, John Buckley, stated that Temtem is not a rival to Palworld, emphasizing respect for all developers. This comes as Temtem's spin-off, Temtem: Pioneers, introduces survival and crafting elements, drawing comparisons to Palworld. The Temtem official account echoed this sentiment, aiming to be another option for fans of the genre.
