Pocketpair Explains Relationship with Upcoming Game Never Grave

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse has been catching eyes with its sharp 2D combat, unique mix of roguelike and farming elements, and yes—its Hollow Knight-esque vibes. But just as many people have been asking who’s actually making it?

To clear things up: the game is being developed by a separate studio called Frontside 180, formed by former Pocketpair employees, but financially backed by Pocketpair — the studio best known for Palworld.

The clarification came during GDC 2025, where Pocketpair’s communications director and publishing manager, John 'Bucky' Buckley, admitted that the situation is "a tricky one,” to GamesRadar+. “We’ve been very bad at explaining this.”

So… Who’s Who Here?

Frontside 180 is technically its own company, but the team was spun off from Pocketpair by former staff who wanted to chase a new creative direction. After Pocketpair struck unexpected gold with Palworld, they had both the cash and confidence to support their former teammates’ creative ambitions. “We know you guys. We love you guys,” Buckley said, describing the decision to bankroll Never Grave.

One of the more unique aspects of the setup? Frontside 180 still works inside Pocketpair’s office, albeit in what Buckley describes as a "quarantined" space. So while the companies are officially separate, they’re still under the same roof — an unusual arrangement that doesn’t quite match traditional publisher-developer models.

In fact, Never Grave may be the first game to reflect Pocketpair’s evolving publishing philosophy: backing quirky, creative projects they genuinely believe in. While Pocketpair Publishing was only announced publicly after the fact, Never Grave had already been signed before that label existed.

A Witchy Blend of Genres

At its core, Never Grave is shaping up to be a roguelike Metroidvania with a few unexpected twists. The game mixes co-op multiplayer, farming mechanics, and village restoration into the genre’s usual recipe of exploration and action. Early demo impressions have praised the game’s possession mechanic, snappy combat, and a general sense of polish that feels well beyond early dev stages.

That said, not everyone’s fully sold. Critics and some fans have pointed out similarities to Hollow Knight — particularly in terms of art style, animation, and enemy behavior. Given Pocketpair’s history with Palworld (often called “Pokémon with guns”) and Craftopia (which borrowed liberally from Zelda: Breath of the Wild), these comparisons have sparked conversations about originality.

There's also some debate around the game’s roguelite elements, which may turn off purist Metroidvania fans. With many likening the structure more to Dead Cells than Hollow Knight, Never Grave is increasingly being labeled a Roguevania.

Despite the noise, Buckley remains enthusiastic. “It’s a really cute little project, and from the very start, when the character art was being made, everyone was like, ‘This is adorable. You should definitely just make this.’”

As of now, the game remains in development, with no confirmed Early Access release date.