Palworld dev Pocketpair won't hire anyone with no Steam playtime, CEO explains: "If an applicant's number of Steam games played is 0, we will, in principle, pass them on"

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Palworld dev Pocketpair won't hire anyone with no Steam playtime, CEO explains: "If an applicant's number of Steam games played is 0, we will, in principle, pass them on" News By Scott McCrae published 23 January 2026

Palworld lead Bucky can vouch for it, too

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Palworld developer Pocketpair requires potential hires to submit screenshots of their Steam profile, saying you won't make it past the resume stage if you don't play games on there.

On Twitter, Pocketpair’s CEO Takuro Mizobe explains (translated by Automaton): "We ask game designer candidates to submit screenshots of their playtime history on Steam. In fact, if you don't play games on Steam at all, you won't make it past the resume screening stage."

While this may seem like a bit of a weird choice, it serves a purpose during the interview, as Mizobe explains applicants are asked to analyze their most played games by breaking down mechanics and explaining why they believe certain design choices are made.

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Candidates can submit PlayStation and Xbox playtime too, but "if an applicant's number of Steam games played is 0, we will, in principle, pass them on." Mizobe explains this decision, saying, "We want our colleagues to be playing indie games that are only available on Steam." And given Pocketpair is now publishing indie games off the back of the success of Palworld, this seems to be a sticking point for the company.

So hilariously true.When I first joined, I was grilled if I knew games like Slay the Spire. Pocketpair is a company that truly is built by gamers, and our CEO is very adamant to keep it that way. A luxury we have because we’re 100-% independent :) https://t.co/eyHJs5tJ6tJanuary 23, 2026

Pocketpair's head of publishing and communications John "Bucky" Buckley also chimes in on the discussion, explaining his experience with this process. "When I first joined, I was grilled if I knew games like Slay the Spire. Pocketpair is a company that truly is built by gamers, and our CEO is very adamant to keep it that way." He calls this "a luxury we have because we’re 100-% independent."

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. CATEGORIES PS5 PC Gaming Xbox Series X Xbox One Platforms PlayStation Xbox Scott McCraeSocial Links NavigationContributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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