Pocketpair, the developer of the mythical creature Palu, "rejects AI, Web3, and NFT games": We don't want low-quality games.

Pocketpair, the developer of Phantom Beast Paru, has publicly rejected generative AI games, igniting a debate in the industry about “real development” and low-quality AI content and Web3 features. (Synopsis: Phantom Beast Paru admits that “Nintendo legal affairs are too terrifying”: the official announcement deleted the Pokéball throwing and gliding wing mechanism) (Background supplement: Nintendo told “Phantom Beast Paru” to copy Pokémon!) Internet laughter: The strongest legal affairs fattening up a year and slaughtering) The gaming industry is standing at the junction of an AI fast lane and a human ingenuity trail. Japan's “Phantom Beast Paru” developer Pocketpair announced on the 22nd that it refused to accept any project focusing on generative AI, Web3 or NFT, insisting that it “does not believe in generative AI”, and put the brakes on the market that is crazy about efficiency. Events not only impact R&D options, but also force capital to rethink what is the next scarce value in a torrent of so-called automation. Rejection of AI: From popularity to drawing a line Pocketpair set up a publishing department after “Phantom Beast Palu” became popular this year, and among the many proposals received, generative AI has almost become the standard. Department head John Buckley put it bluntly: “We don't believe in generative AI… If a developer's project focuses on AI, Web3 or NFTs, there are many publishers out there who will be happy to work with you, but we're not the one you want.” In a word, the company's positioning is pulled back to the “heart of people”. Ironically, “Phantom Beast Paru” was also questioned earlier about using AI art, which turned out to be a misunderstanding. Today's public declaration is tantamount to clarifying again and further blocking possible doubts. AI Slop Threats and the 'Real Market' Buckley warns that platforms like Steam will soon be overwhelmed by “AI Slops”—low-cost, low-volume, low-quality, high-quality games. When algorithms generate characters, scenes, and even plots in batches, players may face the fatigue of identifying authenticity. According to 2025 statistics, about 20% of newly launched works already contain AI elements; The previous Chinese versions of “Jurassic World: Evolution 3” and “Battle Canyon” were boycotted by players due to the AI controversy, which is a precursor to the rebound. Analysts point out that over-reliance on AI may lead to a convergence of content quality, which in turn increases the scarcity of purely artificial works. Once the “marketplace of authenticity” takes shape, players will be more willing to pay for verifiable human creations, and creators and platforms will need to provide credible proof of development. Capital dilemma: efficiency induces collision with original anxiety Compared with the high-profile embrace of AI by Microsoft and EA, Pocketpair is like dropping a stone of doubt. AI can greatly save manpower and time, but at the same time reduce the depth of the script and the uniqueness of the art, and may also affect employment and copyright. Investors are attracted by the cost advantage, but they are also worried that “AI makes quick money” and shortens the life of the product. The platform has begun to protect itself, and Valve recently asked developers to disclose the use of in-game AI; This “self-discipline” approach echoes the regulatory shadow encountered by blockchain and NFT in the past, and seems to be out of market information: relying only on the cheapness and speed of AI may not be able to exchange for long-term adhesion and brand premium. Outlook: Human craftsmanship heart may become a new moat Pocketpair's counter-mainstream manifesto puts the brakes on the rapidly expanding AI narrative, and when the content flood emerges, what is really scarce is the “perceptible human flavor”, and a generation agrees that players believe that artificial and IP are credible emotional links; For investors, it is a moat that is more difficult to replicate. In the coming year, there may be two parallel tracks in the market: one continues to pursue AI efficiency, and the other returns to slow-working human creation. Where will the money go? Pocketpair makes a bet with action: instead of grabbing attention in the storm of homogenization, it is better to bet resources on “real development” that can be proven and impressed. This tug-of-war has only just begun, but the direction has become clear—in a world full of AI, what is really scarce is the hand that is still willing to slowly carve. Related reports Hideo Kojima “I haven't played a game for too long, the protagonist will forget the skills”, why did a sentence inspire the web3 industry? MICROSOFT XBOX EMPIRE COLLAPSED? It is rumored that the development of game consoles has been canceled, and European and American users have set off a wave of canceling subscriptions Mobile games are afraid of stealing cryptocurrency wallets! Unity engine urgently fixes “8-year-old vulnerability” “Phantom Beast Palu developer Pocketpair “rejects AI, Web3, NFT games”: We don't want inferior games” This article was first published in BlockTempo's “Dynamic Trend - The Most Influential Blockchain News Media”.