Palworld, the crafting and survival game described as "Pokémon with guns," has achieved remarkable success since its January 2024 early access launch, attracting over 32 million players across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation 5.
Developer Pocketpair expressed gratitude for the overwhelming player support, promising continued efforts to enhance Palworld's experience in its second year. The game's initial launch, priced at $30 on Steam and included in Xbox Game Pass, shattered sales and concurrent player records. This success led Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe to comment on the unexpectedly high profits. Capitalizing on this momentum, Pocketpair partnered with Sony, establishing Palworld Entertainment to expand the IP and bring the game to PS5.
However, a significant legal challenge remains: a high-profile patent lawsuit with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Following Palworld's launch, comparisons to Pokémon sparked accusations of design similarities. Instead of a copyright infringement claim, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company pursued a patent lawsuit, demanding 5 million yen (approximately $32,846) each, plus damages and an injunction.
In November, Pocketpair acknowledged the three Japanese patents at the heart of the lawsuit, which concern the mechanic of capturing creatures in a virtual field—a mechanic present in Palworld's Pal Sphere system, reminiscent of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Interestingly, Pocketpair recently altered the Pal summoning mechanic, leading to speculation about its connection to the lawsuit.
Patent law experts view the lawsuit as a testament to the threat Palworld poses. The outcome of the legal battle, if not settled out of court, will be closely watched. Pocketpair remains resolute in its defense, pledging to contest the claims through legal proceedings.
Despite the legal complexities, Pocketpair continues to deliver substantial updates for Palworld and has even undertaken collaborations with other prominent video games, including a recent crossover with Terraria.
