Palworld developer shares changes made in response to Pokémon lawsuit

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Today, the creative minds behind the popular indie game Palworld, known as Pocketpair, disclosed additional information about the ongoing legal dispute they are facing with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company over patent infringement claims. In a post on their social media platforms, they clarified two adjustments they were compelled to make last year and another change coming up that will affect gameplay. These alterations concern patents owned by The Pokémon Company in Japan and more recently filed for in the U.S. as well.

Palworld developer shares what changes are made to the game due to the Nintendo lawsuit

In its inaugural year following release, the game Palworld garnered an impressive 32 million players, a feat rarely achieved even among independent games. Notably, Pocketpair, the company behind this success, has chosen to distribute some of their good fortune among other developers, leading to a surge of applications when they announced their publishing arm. However, it’s not all smooth sailing, as they’ve also faced challenges, particularly with the ongoing lawsuit announcement.

As a dedicated Palworld gamer, I recently came across an update from the developers about a patch they released last November that took away the action of throwing a sphere to summon a Pal. They mentioned that many players had speculated about this change and indeed it was due to ongoing litigation. They admitted that they were disappointed to have to make this adjustment, but understood our disappointment as well. Unfortunately, they explained that not making this change would have led to an even worse gaming experience for us players. Transparently, they stated this, but the hint of a legal threat against our beloved game is hard to ignore.

Starting from the next update, version 0.5.5, players will need to use a glider instead of their Pals for gliding in the game. Your Pals will continue to offer passive boosts to your gliding abilities, but you’ll now require a glider in your inventory to perform this action. We acknowledge that this change may be disappointing, but it is essential to avoid any further interruptions during the development of our game, Palworld.

Nintendo remains well-known for legal disputes within the video game industry. This week, Nintendo declared their intention to sue Genki over a premature 3D model display of the Switch 2 before its official unveiling. In addition, they have taken down various emulators, modders, and other entities in the past year. It’s challenging to see how these actions would improve the sentiment among fans who are required to spend $80 on Mario Kart World.

As a dedicated gamer, I’m pumped to say that Pocketpair wrapped up their statement on an optimistic note. “We’re still fully invested in crafting the best experiences for you with Palworld and bringing fresh content your way.” On behalf of the entire Pocketpair family and Team Palworld, thanks again for sticking with us! Regardless of how this lawsuit unfolds, it’s clear that it’ll leave a significant mark on the gaming world. Even if you’re not a fan of Palworld or Pokémon, it’s wise to keep an eye on things as they progress.

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2025-05-09 04:40