Palworld is preparing to defend itself against the recent lawsuit filed by Pokémon and Nintendo. In a statement, developer Pocketpair acknowledged the lawsuit and its intention to defend itself. The development team also focused its message on the impact on the game’s development and player base, leaning somewhat on its underdog status in this legal battle.
“Pocketpair is a small indie game company…it is truly unfortunate that this lawsuit forces us to spend a lot of time on things that have nothing to do with game development,” the statement said.
Regarding the lawsuit
Yesterday a lawsuit was filed against our company for patent infringement.
We have been notified of this lawsuit and will initiate appropriate legal proceedings and investigations into the claims of patent infringement.
At this moment we are not aware…
— Palworld (@Palworld_NL) September 19, 2024
Pocketpair is a small studio, but they released one of the most successful games of the year, with over 25 million players on PC and Xbox. The game is scheduled for the PS5 launch in the future.
The game is a breakout success, and while fans have certainly noticed similarities between the character models in the two properties, Palworld offers a gaming experience that is completely different from Pokémon. I mean, there’s never been a Pokémon game where you could give Pikachu a submachine gun.
The response to the statement has been overwhelmingly positive. It seems that fans of both properties are generally unconcerned about potential intellectual property infringement and want both companies to focus on making great games.
Nintendo would rather file a lawsuit than update the Pokémon video game series to more modern standards.
Good luck with your procedure!—Roberticus Gaming (@Roberticus_YT) September 19, 2024
Nintendo, however, is no stranger to bad press for its legal strategy — and the gaming powerhouse often comes out on top. Numerous fan projects and tournaments for its properties have been quickly shut down. A fan-made mod for Palworld that effectively turned Pals into 1to1 Pokémon was swiftly taken down .
There are currently no details known about if or when this lawsuit will go to trial.
