The Pokémon Company says it will “investigate” Palworld

The Pokémon Company says it will “investigate” Palworld

2024-01-25 23:35:44

Palworld looks very familiar, doesn’t it?

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It will take ‘appropriate measures’ if it finds the game people are calling ‘Pokémon with guns’ infringed on its IP.

By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.

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Screenshot from Palworld featuring Lamball monsters piloting machine guns

Image: Pocketpair

You can all stop calling now — The Pokémon Company’s lawyers are on the case. In a statement posted on the company’s website, The Pokémon Company says it’s aware of a “game released in January 2024” and plans to “take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon.”

It’s no secret that the game referred to is Palworld, a surprise hit juggernaut that’s slowly climbing up the Steam charts, well on its way to beating PUBG’s all-time peak player count of 3.2 million. It’s sold 8 million copies on Steam as of today, and its developer, Pocketpair, just released a roadmap laying out plans for the game’s future.

Everyone familiar with the famously litigious Nintendo’s reputation for swiftly protecting its IP has been wondering when or if the company would bring down the hammer on Palworld’s “original character, do not steal” monsters. The video game sections of social media have been alight with comparisons between Palworld’s pals and Nintendo’s ’mons, including accusations of straight-up plagiarism (which Pocketpair’s CEO denies.)

The company has already taken down a trailer for a mod made by YouTuber ToastedShoes that replaced pals with pokémon. ToastedShoes released a full video detailing his experience with the mod, and it has since been taken down.

You can read The Pokémon Company’s full statement below:

We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game. We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon. We will continue to cherish and nurture each and every Pokémon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future.