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Pocketpair's Publishing Label Bans Generative AI Games

The publisher positions itself for an authenticity-focused market by backing clearly human-made projects.

Overview

  • Communications director John Buckley said at Gamescom Asia that Pocketpair "doesn't believe" in generative AI and will decline projects that rely on it.
  • The publishing division, launched in January 2025, drew more than 150 pitches in its first week as it sought to fund and support indie developers.
  • Buckley forecast a near-term surge of low-quality AI-made titles on storefronts like Steam and predicted growing consumer preference for verifiably human-created work.
  • Responding to a social-media claim that Palworld used machine translation, Pocketpair denied the accusation and worked with its localization partner to publish individual translator credits.
  • The stance contrasts with major publishers such as EA, Embracer Group, and Microsoft that continue to promote AI initiatives, a divide Buckley warned can fuel reputational "witch hunts" against smaller studios.