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

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

However, Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe later clarified that the acquisition rumors were untrue at the time, though they certainly sparked discussions among fans. Speculation about a potential acquisition persisted, fueled by Microsoft's aggressive acquisition strategy in the AA gaming industry and their interest in Japanese developers, as well as Sony's own acquisitions in response.

The question remains: will Pocketpair ever be acquired? According to communications director and publishing manager John 'Bucky' Buckley, the prospect seems highly unlikely. Speaking at the Game Developers Conference last month, Buckley emphasized, "Our CEO would never allow it. He'd never allow it. He would never, never allow it. He likes doing his own thing and being his own boss. He doesn't like people telling him what to do."

Buckley's statement was emphatic. He added, "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."

During our interview, Buckley and I also discussed the possibility of Palworld coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, the studio's reaction to the game being dubbed "Pokemon with guns," and more. You can read the full discussion right here.