Nintendo Lawsuit: Palworld Forced to Change Game After Pokémon Similarities

Palworld developer Pocketpair has confirmed that recent changes to the game were made because of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. The lawsuit, which was filed in September 2024, accuses Pocketpair of infringing on Pokémon patents. The developer continues to dispute the claims.

In a new statement posted on its official website, Pocketpair said, “Currently, we remain involved in prolonged legal proceedings regarding alleged patent infringement. We continue to dispute these claims and assert the invalidity of the patents in question. However, we have had to make certain compromises in order to avoid disruptions to the development and distribution of Palworld.”

The developer pointed to Patch v0.3.11, released last November, as one of the updates which happened because of the lawsuit. The patch had removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres, a feature many players had linked to Pokémon. More changes are reportedly planned in Patch v0.5.5.

Another important update affects gliding. “From this patch onward, gliding will be performed using a glider rather than with Pals,” Pocketpair explained. “Pals in the player’s team will still provide passive buffs to gliding, but players will now need to have a glider in their inventory in order to glide.”

Also Read: Did A Cop Arrest Parking Enforcement For Giving Him Ticket? Fake Bodycam Video Viral

Palworld, which launched in early access in January 2024, was many times compared to Pokémon for its creature designs and mechanics. Pocketpair initially said they were not aware of which patents had allegedly been violated when the lawsuit was filed.

The company stated that the changes were needed due to the legal battle. “As many have speculated, these changes were indeed a result of the ongoing litigation,” the statement read. “Everyone here at Pocketpair was disappointed that this adjustment had to be made, and we fully understand that many players feel the same frustration.”

Despite the legal issues, the team remains hopeful. “We remain committed to developing Palworld and delivering exciting new content to our fans,”

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US Buzz, World and around the world.