Indie Game Studio Responds to 'Pokémon' Comparison Probe

Over six months after the early access release of Palworld, the game's developer says Nintendo has not filed an official complaint for plagiarism. Back in January, The Pokemon Company announced it would be investigating and possibly taking legal action against a competitor's game on the grounds of suspected copyright infringement. Nintendo seems to have brushed that statement aside for now, as nothing seems to have come from the complaints. Meanwhile, Palworld devs look ahead to the game's full release later this year.

Palworld is a monster-taming game set in an open world inhabited by creatures known as Pals. Players can battle against these Pals to capture them, after which they can be used in combat, as manual labor, or as mounts. The game also involves the use of firearms, which can be obtained and given to Pals as a method of self-defense against hostile factions. Pals can either be summoned to battle or stationed at a base to perform tasks such as crafting and cooking. Each Pal has a unique Partner Skill, which can be utilized in different scenarios. Certain mechanics and character designs found in Palworld are similar to those found in the Pokemon series of games, but Nintendo may have decided to turn the other way.

According to Game File, Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe claims that he has not received any complaints from Nintendo or The Pokemon Company, despite the latter's public statement giving a different impression. “Nothing at all,” Mizobe said. “Nintendo and the Pokemon Company didn’t say anything to us. Of course I love Pokemon and respect it. I grew up with it, in my generation.” Even if legal action isn't taken, fans are relentless in drawing comparisons between the two titles. Palworld's latest Sakurajima update has only added fuel to the fire concerning the "Pokemon clone" allegations.

Pocketpair CEO Denies Receiving Complaints From Nintendo Regarding Copyright Claims

In a blog post also published in January, the Palworld CEO even claimed that the game's 100 character concepts were conceived by a graduate student who was hired in 2021 following a hiring spree for new illustrators. “She was a new graduate and had applied to nearly 100 companies, but failed them all,” he said. “And she is now drawing most of the characters in Palworld.” Given its outlandish and comical premise, Palworld has been dubbed "Pokemon with guns," and the indie title skyrocketed in popularity overnight following its release. Fans had been begging for a good open-world monster-catching game for years, especially one available on more platforms than strictly Nintendo consoles.

When the trailer for Palworld was released, some social media posts led to speculation that the game was fake, possibly due to the title's striking similarities with the Pokemon franchise. Pocketpair has hinted at Palworld coming to PlayStation soon, but there's no word on whether the game will be coming to other consoles.