Palworld, the action-adventure survival game that has rapidly gained popularity, is now facing scrutiny due to its alleged resemblance to the beloved Pokémon franchise. The Pokémon Company, which oversees the brand, has issued a formal response to the growing plagiarism claims against Palworld, though it did not refer to the game by name. After launching in early access on January 19, Palworld quickly rose to the top of the Steam charts, with developer Pocketpair announcing on Thursday that it has sold over eight million copies.
In a statement released on Thursday, The Pokémon Company expressed its intent to investigate any potential copyright violations associated with the newly launched title. “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024,” the statement noted, indirectly referencing Palworld. “We have not granted any permission for the use of 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 Pokémon. Our commitment to preserving and nurturing each Pokémon and its universe remains strong as we aim to unite the world through Pokémon in the future.”
The Pokémon Company holds the intellectual property rights for Pokémon, which has been identified as one of the most profitable media franchises globally, with estimated revenue of approximately $88 billion. These rights are held collectively by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, with Nintendo known for its aggressive legal stance in protecting its intellectual properties. Recently, there have been indications that the Pokémon publisher has already targeted Palworld modifications that transform the game’s creatures into recognized Pokémon, as one modder reported a takedown of their content, stating, “Nintendo has come for me” following the removal of their modded gameplay video on X this week.
Since its release, Palworld has been embroiled in claims of plagiarism, with gamers, developers, and online commentators highlighting striking similarities between the creature designs in Palworld and those found in Pokémon. An X user compared models from both games side by side, showcasing resemblances among specific creatures. This has sparked ongoing discussions about the nature of inspiration versus plagiarism in gaming, with some developers defending Palworld by emphasizing the inherently derivative nature of the medium. They argue that Pocketpair’s game integrates sufficient original concepts and aptly blends elements from popular titles like Ark: Survival Evolved, Fortnite, Rust, and Pokémon.
Despite the ongoing allegations, Pocketpair announced on Thursday that Palworld had surpassed eight million copies sold within just six days. The game continues to thrive under the shadow of these claims and currently ranks as the most played game on Steam, having achieved an impressive peak of 2,018,905 concurrent players within the last 24 hours. It now trails only PUBG: Battlegrounds on the list of all-time most played games on the platform.
Palworld features creatures reminiscent of Pokémon, referred to as Pals, which players can capture and utilize for combat, exploration, and base construction within the game’s expansive world, earning it the nickname “Pokémon with Guns.” The title is available on PC (via Steam), Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X, and it is also included in the Xbox Game Pass.
