Palworld developers use Steam profiles to screen candidates.

Pocketpair will forever be one of the most exciting studios in Japan. An independent startup is bravely taking on Nintendo and The Pokémon Company in a lawsuit that Pocketpair appears likely to win. The studio has developed a reputation for being brash and unapologetic, and Pocketpair head Takuro Mizobe recently revealed how they find the right candidates to work on Palworld (thanks, Automaton).

“Pocketpair asks game designer applicants to submit screenshots of their playtime on Steam. If you don't actually play any games on Steam at all, you won't get past the resume screening stage,” Mizobe wrote.

This may seem like a bias against console players, but Mizobe explains that they want candidates who regularly play independent games on Steam. After all, Palworld started out as one of these titles. Candidates are encouraged to submit screenshots of their console playtime, but Steam is paramount in the selection process.

“If an applicant has zero Steam games, we pass on the rule. We want our colleagues to play indie games that are only available on Steam,” Mizobe added.

Pocketpair wants indie players

A Grizbolt creature with its arms spread out in Pal World.

This process isn't just used to determine who is a casual gamer, it's also used to test applicants' fundamental understanding of game design. Prospective designers are asked to categorize their most played games, explain why they chose their designs, and highlight what makes a particular game different from similar games in the same genre.

This can be considered a controversial approach to recruitment because it excludes people who, for whatever reason, don't have the time or resources to play hundreds of hours of different games. However, Pocketpair would argue that success as a modern game designer requires a deep understanding of a wide range of games.

Ramball on a trading card from palworld.

relevant

After being called a Pokemon clone, Palworld is getting its own trading card game.

At this point, pushing buttons on Pokemon is fun.

Palworld's success allowed Pocketpair to expand into independent publishing, with Surgent Studios' Dead Take becoming Pocketpair Publishing's first project. Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse is an upcoming metroidvania developed by one of Pocketpair's internal studios. It's clear from Pocketpair's priorities that Mizobe and company primarily see the company as a participant in the independent scene rather than growing into a AAA giant.