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 apparently agrees, as they have now filed a lawsuit. The developers are commenting on X, formerly known as Twitter.
What kind of lawsuit is this? Many had anticipated it, and now it has actually happened. As Nintendo announced on September 19, 2024, they, along with the Pokémon Company, have filed a lawsuit against the Palworld creators, Pocketpair.
Just a few hours later, the developers made a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Palworld has just introduced a new island into the game.
Developers make arrangements, hold on to Palworld
What do the developers say? In a lengthy post on the official Palworld account, the creators explain that they have been made aware of the lawsuit and will be initiating “appropriate legal action” on their part. They also intend to investigate the claims of patent infringement.
Nintendo has not filed a lawsuit for a possible copyright infringement, as some had expected, but has referred to patent law. However, Pocketpair states that they are not aware of the specific patents that are alleged to be infringed.
The developers emphasize again that Pocketpair is a small indie studio that simply wants to create fun games. They intend to stick to that goal. “We will do everything in our power to ensure that indie developers are not prevented or discouraged from pursuing creative ideas,” it says elsewhere.
You can find the full post here:
What’s next for Palworld? According to the creators, the survival game should continue to be developed and improved. However, it is unfortunate that they now have to invest time in matters that have nothing to do with development.
Finally, they thank the fans for their support. The post was viewed more than 160,000 times in just 60 minutes and received over 6,700 likes (as of 12:05). In the comments, players continue to express their support for the developers (via X).
Since Nintendo wants to seek an injunction, it may be that the developers of Palworld will have to change their game in such a way that it no longer infringes on patents. In the worst case, the Pokémon creators might try to completely remove the survival game from the market.
Additionally, Nintendo is seeking damages. Given the profits that Pocketpair has made with Palworld, they could be ordered to pay a substantial sum.
We at MeinMMO have already contacted legal experts to better assess the situation. We will provide you with more information as soon as we receive a response. Back in January, we had asked the well-known lawyer Christian Solmecke: Could Nintendo successfully sue the Steam hit Palword?
It remains unclear how the legal dispute with Nintendo will affect the future of Palworld. Just a few days ago, fans of the survival game still had hopes for a PS5 version of the Steam hit. Currently, Pocketpair is exhibiting at the Tokyo Game Show; it is quite possible that a bigger announcement was planned there. It remains to be seen whether the developers will now have to postpone these plans once again.
