Nintendo lawsuit is successful: "Palworld" must adapt game mechanics

Debora Pape

9.5.2025

Translation: machine translated

Pocketpair, the developer studio of "Palworld", is involved in a protracted legal dispute brought by Nintendo due to some similarities between the game and "Pokémon". Apparently with success. Pocketpair has now commented on this.

Whoever steals must expect consequences. The Japanese development studio Pocketpair is currently feeling the effects of this - as is everyone who plays its game «Palworld». Following a lawsuit by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, the studio behind the «Pokémon» series, Pocketpair had to adapt some game mechanics. The studio has now announced this. «Palworld» caused a sensation in the gaming world in January 2024. At times, the game attracted more than two million players at the same time.

Has «Palworld» copied from «Pokémon»?

My colleague Phil describes «Palworld» in his test as «Pokémon with guns». And therein lies the problem. Although «Palword» is a survival game with an open world and base-building in a completely different genre to «Pokémon», some game elements seem to have been stolen from the famous Nintendo series.

For example, the design and abilities of the wild animals, so-called Pals, which you can tame on your forays through the world. The spiritual father of the game becomes even more apparent when capturing and releasing the Pals using a sphere called the «Pal Sphere». This mechanic looks like a clone of Nintendo's Pokéball mechanic. This is where the lawyers see a patent infringement.

In November 2024, Pocketpair removed the summoning of Pals using orbs from the game. Pals now spawn right next to the user when summoned, instead of being released from a Pal Sphere. However, Pocketpair has not yet commented on the reason for the changes.

Adjustments due to the ongoing lawsuit

In a statement, Pocketpair now admits that these and other recent adjustments were necessary due to the ongoing legal dispute. The team made this compromise because the unspecified alternative «would have made the gaming experience even worse».

The upcoming patch 0.5.5 will implement another gameplay change that is a result of the lawsuit: You will no longer be able to use your flight pals to fly. Until now, you have been able to hold on to flying Pals to discover the world from above. With the new patch, you will need a glider to fly. However, flying Pals will continue to give you a passive buff when gliding.

Pocketpair insists on «invalid patents»

The studio's statement suggests that the ongoing legal dispute is dampening spirits. The team regrets the changes and apologises for the frustration caused to the gaming community.

However, Pocketpair is not being transparent. The statement reads: «'We are currently involved in lengthy legal proceedings regarding alleged patent infringements. We continue to dispute these claims and assert that the patents in question are invalid.» So the studio does not deny having used «Pokémon» as inspiration, but defends itself by claiming that the patents «are invalid». That sounds like a lengthy legal quibble.

It will be interesting to see whether further mechanics are removed from the game and how the two sides ultimately reach an agreement.

Debora Pape

Editor

Debora.Pape@galaxus.de

Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.

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