Palworld Devs Address Nintendo Investigation

Six months after Palworld's early access launch, its developer reports no official plagiarism complaints from Nintendo. Recall that in January, The Pokémon Company announced an investigation and potential legal action against a rival game for suspected copyright infringement. However, Nintendo appears to have dropped the matter, leaving Palworld's full release later this year unhindered.

Palworld, an open-world monster-taming game, features creatures called Pals. Players capture and utilize Pals in combat, labor, or as mounts. Firearms are also integrated, allowing both self-defense and equipping Pals for combat against hostile factions. Pals can be summoned for battles or assigned base tasks like crafting and cooking, each possessing unique Partner Skills. While similarities to the Pokémon franchise exist in certain mechanics and character designs, Nintendo hasn't pursued the issue.

According to Game File, Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe confirms no communication from Nintendo or The Pokémon Company, despite the latter's earlier statement. Mizobe stated, “Nothing at all. Nintendo and the Pokemon Company didn’t say anything to us.” He adds, “Of course I love Pokemon and respect it. I grew up with it, in my generation.” Regardless of legal action, fan comparisons persist, intensified by Palworld's recent Sakurajima update.

Pocketpair CEO Rejects Nintendo's Copyright Claims

A January blog post by the Palworld CEO also revealed that the game's 100 character concepts originated from a 2021 hire—a recent graduate who had previously been unsuccessful in securing employment at nearly 100 other companies. Palworld's unique "Pokémon with guns" premise propelled its popularity after launch, fulfilling a long-standing fan desire for an open-world monster-catching game on multiple platforms beyond Nintendo consoles.

Initial Palworld trailers sparked online speculation about the game's authenticity due to its resemblance to Pokémon. Pocketpair has suggested a PlayStation release, but other console ports remain unannounced.