The internet loves a good rivalry, but sometimes the best rivalries are actually… flirtations? For months now, Palworld and No Man’s Sky have been engaged in a playful back-and-forth on social media, leaving fans wondering if a collaboration is finally on the horizon. And judging by recent developments, it seems like we might be getting closer than ever.
The Spark: A Conversation Ignited
It all started last week when Pocketpair’s head of publishing and communications, John “Bucky” Buckley, addressed a fan discussion about potential collaborations. He revealed that they had “rejected or scrapped” numerous ideas due to perceived mismatches. This seemingly innocuous comment sparked a renewed interest in the possibility of a No Man’s Sky crossover.
Hello Games founder Sean Murray noticed the online buzz and responded with an emphatic, heart-eyes emoji directed at Buckley: “Bro @Bucky_cm bro @Bucky_cm brooooooooooo ❤️.” This marked the most direct acknowledgment yet of the ongoing flirtation between the two studios. The internet collectively gasped.
Escalation and Cryptic Hints
The tension simmered until April 2026, when things got even more explicit. After Murray hinted that No Man’s Sky’s creature battling update might position the game alongside Palworld in the “Pokémon-like” category, Buckley urged him to “email me, my man.” He suggested there was a “FUN COLLAB IDEA” waiting to be explored.
While this overture seemingly went unanswered publicly, Murray later unveiled the full details of No Man’s Sky’s Xeno Arena update. Buckley responded with another all-caps declaration: “S E A N,” accompanied by a picture of what appeared to be a single tear rolling down a pixelated cheek.
The Ballad of Unrequited Collaboration
Despite Hello Games celebrating Palworld’s 1.0 release and successful launch, Pocketpair’s collaborative advances remained largely unreciprocated—until Murray’s recent acknowledgment. Since then, things have become even more…corny.
Replying to that long-awaited acknowledgment, Buckley quoted lyrics from a song about an adoring fan who becomes progressively more unhinged: “Dear @NoMansSky, I wrote you, but you still ain’t callin’… I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom… I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not’ve got ’em.”
Murray continued in kind, quoting the song’s closing lyrics: “Come to think about it, his name was… it was you,” followed by a simple, yet powerful, “Damn…” The internet exploded with speculation and anticipation.
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While it’s easy to imagine a fitting collaboration—Palworld cosmetics in No Man’s Sky, or No Man’s Sky creatures in a Palworld dungeon—I think I speak for all of us when I say: Get a room. Just let us know when you finally pull the trigger.
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