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

Last summer, Palworld developer Pocketpair signed a deal with Sony Music Entertainment to expand the Palworld universe beyond gaming through merchandise, music, and other products. This business agreement led to some confusion among fans, who mistakenly thought it signaled an upcoming acquisition, especially following rumors earlier in the year that Pocketpair was in talks with Microsoft for a buyout.

Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe later confirmed that the acquisition rumors were untrue, yet the speculation persisted. This was fueled by Microsoft's aggressive acquisition strategy in the AA gaming industry and their interest in Japanese developers, as well as Sony's counter-moves with their own acquisitions.

So, will Pocketpair ever be acquired? The decision ultimately rests with Mizobe. At the Game Developers Conference last month, communications director and publishing manager John 'Bucky' Buckley firmly dismissed the possibility of an acquisition. "Our CEO would never allow it," Buckley stated emphatically. "He likes doing his own thing and being his own boss. He doesn't like people telling him what to do."

Buckley 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."

Buckley and I also spoke about the potential for Palworld to be released on the Nintendo Switch 2, the studio's response to the game being dubbed "Pokemon with guns," and more. You can delve into the full interview right here.