Palworld CEO Rejects Acquisition: 'Never Allow It,' Says Communications Director

Last summer, Palworld's developer, Pocketpair, entered into an exciting partnership with Sony Music Entertainment. This collaboration aims to expand the Palworld universe beyond gaming, encompassing merchandise, music, and other products. However, some fans misinterpreted this deal as a precursor to an acquisition, especially given earlier rumors that Pocketpair was in discussions with Microsoft for a buyout.

Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe later clarified that no acquisition was taking place at the time, yet the speculation fueled ongoing discussions. With Microsoft's recent acquisitions in the AA gaming sector and their interest in Japanese developers, alongside Sony's own strategic acquisitions, the topic of Pocketpair's potential acquisition has remained a hot topic among fans.

So, could Pocketpair ever be acquired? The decision ultimately lies with Mizobe. When I spoke with Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager, John 'Bucky' Buckley, at the Game Developers Conference last month, he expressed strong skepticism about any acquisition happening. Buckley stated emphatically, "Our CEO would never allow it. He'd never allow it. He'd never allow it. He would never, never allow it. He likes doing his own thing and he likes being his own boss. He doesn't like people telling him what to do."

Buckley's conviction on this matter is clear. He further elaborated, "So I would be shocked. Maybe when he's old, and he might just sell it off for money. And that would be sad, but in my lifetime, I probably won't see it. No, it'll be interesting to see where the two paths go. We, Pocketpair, are obviously only involved in where the game path is going. Palworld as an IP, we are involved, but it’s very much in the hands of Aniplex and Sony Music who are steering that ship right now. We are just offering our advice and thoughts as they take that."

In our comprehensive interview, Buckley and I also delved into the possibility of Palworld being released on the Nintendo Switch 2, the studio's perspective on the game being dubbed "Pokemon with guns," and more. You can access the full interview [ttpp]here[ttpp].