The Pokémon Company Is Very Aware of ‘Palworld.’ So, Now What?
Is a lawsuit coming, or ...?
Palworld is one of Steam’s most popular games. It (just barely) surpassed Fortnite on Xbox for a day, and it’s taken Twitch by storm. That said, many people are furious over the game. Is Pocketpair’s open-world title just a Pokémon parody, or is it a clear and obvious case of plagiarism?
That conversation has practically dominated social media since Palworld’s launch. And now, The Pokémon Company is getting involved. So, what does The Pokémon Company have to say about Palworld? Is everyone’s favorite Pokémon parody about to go down in flames? Here’s what you need to know.
The Pokémon Company’s Palworld statement, explained
On January 25, The Pokémon Company put out an official statement directly addressing Palworld’s launch. “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024,” the company wrote. “We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game.”
In the statement, The Pokémon Company vowed to launch an investigation, confirming whether Palworld used any IP-infringing material, and “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,” the statement read.
In short, The Pokémon Company will look into Palworld in the near future, confirm whether the game infringes on the Pokémon IP, and finally put the question to bed: Is Palworld just an original parody, or is it something a bit more unethical in nature and approach?
Is Palworld doomed?
It’s very, very unlikely that Palworld is doomed. To the untrained eye, it seems like The Pokémon Company is laying down the law. In reality, analysts and game developers in the gaming industry believe The Pokémon Company is sending a subtle message to gamers: “We’re aware of Palworld. Please stop messaging us about it.”
Reporter and editor Patrick Klepek argued just as much, claiming the company likely won’t take any action. Niko Partners’ analyst Daniel Ahmad came to a similar conclusion.
“This is just a ‘please stop sending us emails about Palworld’ statement,” he tweeted.
Aftermath’s Chris Person also found it somewhat strange that Twitter essentially served as an auxiliary support group for a company owned by one of the biggest and most litigious corporations in gaming. “The idea that The Pokémon Company ever needed anyone’s help defending their IP was always funny to me,” he wrote.
What about The Pokémon Company suing Palworld?
So, is Palworld getting sued? As The Mary Sue discussed earlier, probably not. The game is original enough in game design, monster design, and overall gameplay mechanics to prevent it from facing a lawsuit for IP infringement.
Besides, Palworld is not a new game. Sure, Pocketpair just launched the game in early access in January 2024, but the game has been previewed in some shape or form since 2021. Pocketpair has been clear about its intentions over the past three years—an edgier, parodical take on Pokémon, or Pokémon-with-guns if you will—so why didn’t Nintendo and The Pokémon Company launch a lawsuit three years ago? Why wait now? Especially given Nintendo quickly pulled the Pokémon Palworld mod’s preview clip from Twitter.
Or as a fantastic Twitter meme put it:
So no. Don’t expect much from this investigation. Palworld is likely safe. Although there’s one strange conclusion another developer came to amid The Pokémon Company’s statement, one we should keep a close eye on.
“Reading between the lines,” Dead Static Drive’s Mike Blackney tweeted, “I think in the next game we’re gonna get to f**k the Pokémon.”
Let’s hope that’s not the case. Lovander is already enough for my poor heart!
(feature image: Pocketpair)
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