Pocketpair Patches Palworld Amid Nintendo and Pokémon Lawsuit

Palworld developer Pocketpair has recently disclosed that changes made to the game were a direct result of an ongoing patent lawsuit filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Launched in early 2024 on Steam for $30 and included in Xbox and PC Game Pass, Palworld quickly shattered sales and concurrent player records. The game's massive success overwhelmed Pocketpair, with CEO Takuro Mizobe stating the studio struggled to manage the enormous profits. Capitalizing on this, Pocketpair swiftly formed Palworld Entertainment with Sony to expand the IP, eventually bringing the game to PS5.

The game's success led to comparisons with Pokémon, with some accusing Pocketpair of copying Pokémon designs. However, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opted for a patent lawsuit over copyright infringement, seeking 5 million yen each (approximately $32,846) plus damages and an injunction to halt Palworld's distribution.

In November, Pocketpair confirmed it was being sued over three Japan-based patents related to capturing Pokémon in a virtual field. Palworld features a similar mechanic where players throw a Pal Sphere to capture monsters, akin to the system in the 2022 Nintendo Switch game Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Six months later, Pocketpair admitted that the recent changes to Palworld were indeed due to legal pressures. Patch v0.3.11, released in November 2024, altered the summoning mechanic from throwing Pal Spheres to a static summon next to the player, alongside other gameplay adjustments. Pocketpair stated that without these changes, the gameplay experience would have suffered even more.

Furthermore, Patch v0.5.5 introduced more modifications, shifting gliding from using Pals to requiring a glider, though Pals still offer passive gliding buffs. Pocketpair described these alterations as "compromises" forced upon them to avoid an injunction that could stop Palworld's development and sales.

Despite these adjustments, Pocketpair remains committed to contesting the lawsuit, focusing on the invalidity of the patents in question. The studio expressed regret for the necessary changes but emphasized their importance in preventing further disruptions.

Pocketpair's full statement reflects gratitude towards their fans, acknowledges the challenges of transparency during litigation, and reaffirms their dedication to Palworld's future development.

At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March, IGN interviewed John "Bucky" Buckley, Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager. During his talk, 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' Buckley discussed Palworld's challenges, including debunking accusations of using generative AI and stealing Pokémon models. He also touched on the unexpected nature of Nintendo's patent lawsuit, describing it as a shock to the studio.