The survival game Palworld was a huge surprise hit on Steam and Xbox earlier this year. However, critics accused the creators of blatantly borrowing from Pokémon. Nintendo seems to agree, as they have now filed a lawsuit—much to the dismay of some fans.
What is the current status of Nintendo and Palworld? On September 18, 2024, Japan time, what was inevitable happened: Nintendo filed the long-overdue lawsuit against the “Pokémon with guns” Palworld in the Tokyo District Court.
The creators of Pokémon see their intellectual property violated, but many players do not appreciate this side of Nintendo.
Fans say: Maybe create better games yourself
What does the community say? In the comments on posts on X, formerly Twitter, there is widespread astonishment that Nintendo did not take legal action much earlier. They had actually been waiting since Palworld first showed images of its survival game.
However, even though Nintendo’s decision is not surprising, that does not mean users agree with it. Nintendo receives a lot of criticism under their own post on X. Many players hope that the company does not succeed with its actions. They fear consequences for other small developers.
One user even goes so far as to say: “The world hopes you lose.” (via X)
It also shows that many fans have been disappointed with the Pokémon games for years and are therefore yearning for alternatives that fulfill a similar need – such as Palworld. Our editor-in-chief Leya already stated in January: Palworld is where Pokémon should have been 5 years ago.
In many comments, one can find the sentiment that Nintendo is to blame for other developers using the tried-and-true monster-catching formula; they themselves have not made any good games in years. The time that is now being spent on a lawsuit should rather be invested in their own games, some users criticize.
There is a belief that Nintendo is taking action against successful competition so that people have no choice but to play their product (via X).
Some fans are indeed on Nintendo’s side and believe Palworld copied too brazenly with too few original ideas. However, they get drowned out in the flood of negative comments.
Furthermore, other users point out that Nintendo is not suing because of the designs of the monsters, but is invoking patent law. This could create a dangerous precedent that could have implications for the gaming industry as a whole.
However, some creature collectors have still achieved success despite Nintendo’s watchful eyes. Here you can find 5 alternatives to Palworld and Pokémon.
But even if Nintendo is right in this case, it does not mean much to some users. They fundamentally criticize the patenting of video game mechanics. Furthermore, it is simply not well-received when large companies use patents to bully smaller ones: Energy drink has been selling itself as a friend of gaming for years – now bullying a small indie developer
