Palworld is an action game whose main characters are cute and cuddly creatures. It was first released in January of this year and was immediately compared to Pokémon; some even called it “Pokémon with guns.” Palworld took the gaming community by storm and quickly became a fan favorite, but now Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are suing the game’s developers. Here’s everything we know.
Palworld
Palworld was released on January 19th, 2024, and quickly garnered attention because of its close resemblance to Pokémon. In this open-world game, you’re running around and collecting adorable, animal-like creatures called “Pals.” The use of these Pals is versatile. You can have them build things, work, use them for combat, or even eat them. Your Pals can also be equipped with guns, as can your playable character as you battle other Pals and characters. The game can be played as a solo one-player game, or you can take the action online and play with up to 32 people.
When the game first came out, many were intrigued by its mechanics and resemblance to Pokémon, but most accepted it for what it was. The game received positive reviews from gamers and reviewers alike, many citing its humor and gameplay mechanics as endearing. It sold eight million copies in its first release week and is currently listed on Steam for $29.99.
Accusations Of Copyright Infringement
Pocketpair, the game’s developers, almost immediately came under fire from Pokémon fans, who pointed out the similarities. They took to social media to claim that Pocketpair had completely copied the famous franchise, not just with its concept but also with the design of the Pals.
The backlash was so fierce that the CEO of Pocketpair and The Pokémon Company issued statements about the drama. Pocketpair’s CEO, Takuro Mizobe, took to X and posted, “Currently, we are receiving comments against our artists and seeing tweets that appear to be death threats. I have received a variety of opinions regarding Palworld, but all productions related to Palworld are supervised by multiple people, including myself, and I am responsible for the production.” He then went on to ask people to stop slandering the artists of Palworld.
The Pokémon Company also made a statement in January, which was translated into English on their official site. It reads in part, “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission to use Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game. We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon.” While they don’t mention the game or Pocketpair by name, they address the developers.
Nintendo and Pokémon’s Lawsuit
Nine months have passed since Palworld’s release. It has sold millions of copies and has made its way through the gaming community. Streamers have played the game live many times, and multiple YouTubers have made gameplay content. Most have stopped discussing the game, and the novelty and trend have died down.
It seems that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company haven’t forgotten, and they’ve filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair. The lawsuit is a patent infringement lawsuit and was filed jointly with both companies against the developer. The official statement on the Nintendo website reads, “This lawsuit seeks an injunction against infringement and compensation for damages because Palworld, a game developed and released by the Defendant, infringes multiple patent rights.
Nintendo will continue to take necessary actions against any infringement of its intellectual property rights, including the Nintendo brand itself, to protect the intellectual properties it has worked hard to establish over the years.” So far, Pocketpair has not officially responded to the lawsuit. Nintendo is notorious for suing people who infringe on its patents or copyrights, but most fans thought that Palworld had escaped Nintendo’s grasp. It seems it hasn’t, and Pocketpair will have to answer for the game in court.
Conclusion
While Pocketpair’s CEO had initially claimed that Palworld had gone through legal reviews and hadn’t infringed on any intellectual property, it seems now that they were wrong, as most fans thought. This story is developing as we wait for more information from Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and Pocketpair.
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