Pocketpair, the studio behind the popular survival game Palworld, announced on Thursday that it has implemented changes to the game following a patent infringement lawsuit from Nintendo. The Japanese developer revealed that alterations were necessary to address allegations made by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company regarding the infringement of their intellectual property.
Changes Implemented in Response to Legal Action
A patch released on November 30, 2024, altered a key gameplay mechanic in Palworld, which allowed players to summon Pals—creatures akin to Pokémon—by using Pal Spheres. As noted in a blog post on its official website, the mechanic has now been changed to allow static summoning of Pals next to the player. This adjustment was made in response to one of three patent infringement claims highlighted by Nintendo in its lawsuit last year. Patch v0.3.11 also incorporated other modifications as part of the ongoing legal adjustments.
In addition to this update, Pocketpair indicated that the next patch, version 0.5.5, would include a further alteration to gameplay. Players will no longer be able to use Pals for gliding; this function is now exclusive to a glider found within the player’s inventory. However, Pals will still provide passive bonuses related to gliding, according to the developer.
“We recognize that these modifications may disappoint our community, just as they have disappointed us. Nonetheless, we hope that our fans understand the necessity of these changes to avoid additional interruptions in the ongoing development of Palworld,” Pocketpair stated.
The developer expressed its disappointment over having to modify the game but affirmed its commitment to contesting Nintendo’s claims in the lawsuit.
“We extend our apologies to our fans for the distress and concern caused by this ongoing litigation. Our dedication to creating Palworld and delivering engaging new content remains unwavering,” the spokesperson added.
Details of the Patent Infringement Lawsuit
The legal battle began in September 2024, when Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, asserting that Palworld violated three specific patents. The companies are pursuing an injunction against the game, which features creatures resembling those from the Pokémon franchise, and are also seeking over JPY 5 million (approximately Rs. 27.7 lakh) in damages.
Since its launch in January 2024, Palworld has achieved tremendous success on platforms such as Steam and Xbox. However, it has also faced accusations of plagiarism, particularly regarding its creature designs and certain gameplay elements akin to the Pokémon series. The game has often been described as “Pokémon with Guns,” featuring Pokémon-inspired animals that players can capture and utilize for combat, navigation, and base construction within an expansive open world.
Despite the ongoing legal challenges, Palworld continues to enjoy substantial popularity, with Pocketpair recently reporting that the game surpassed 32 million players across Steam, PS5, and Xbox platforms earlier this year.
