Palworld vs The Pokémon Company: Comparisons and 'investigation' explained

This has led to videos showing both games side-by-side, endless chatter online, an unofficial mod that has been taken down and The Pokémon Company speaking out for the first time on the topic.

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Every day a new development is taking place, as Palworld continues to grow its already massive player base.

Pocketpair, the small team behind the unexpected hit, is already dealing with issues surrounding its server status, while also trying to roll out new updates to address any ongoing bugs. The last thing it needs is another challenge.

As the landscape is changing constantly, here's everything we know so far about the comparisons between Palworld and The Pokémon Company, including the latter's official statement regarding an investigation into "another company’s game".

What is going on with Palworld and The Pokémon Company?

Palworld launched into early access across Xbox Series X/S and PC on 19th January 2024.

Since then, many people have made references to the similarities between the game and the Pokémon franchise.

On 25th January, The Pokémon Company released a statement that appears to be regarding Palworld – though it does not name the game specifically.

The full statement from The Pokémon Company can be seen 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."

Before this, Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe confirmed (via Japanese outlet Automaton) that the game "cleared legal reviews" and no action has been taken against it: "We make our games very seriously, and we have absolutely no intention of infringing upon the intellectual property of other companies."

What are the comparisons between Palworld and Pokémon?

The most common comparison between Palworld and Pokémon is the designs, with many videos uploaded to the web showing supposed similarities between creatures.

Of course, this isn't the first time a game has featured designs that could be compared to Pokémon. Digimon launched way back in 1997 and Temtem hit digital shelves in 2020, and these games have seen no issues.

Some of the naming conventions have also been pointed out, such as Palworld's Paldeck (which has been compared to the Pokédex), which allows players to gather information about the Pals, as well as a Pal Sphere (deemed similar to the Poké Ball) being used to capture them.

What has likely accelerated this process is that 8 million people have jumped into Palworld within the first six days of its release.

It's worth noting that Palworld is more of a survival game with base building elements, neither of which apply to Pokémon.

While the internet has dubbed the game 'Pokémon with Guns', those who have played the title say it is closer to that of ARK: Survival Evolved, Conan Exile and Rust.

What does this mean for Palworld mods?

A now infamous Palworld mod that integrated Ash Ketchum and various Pokémon into the game was taken down shortly after it was released.

The original mod was made and uploaded by ToastedShoes (real name Joe Randle), who was sent a DMCA by Nintendo. The clips have subsequently been taken down from the web.

The YouTuber uploaded a response sharing his experience dealing with Nintendo:

General mods that aren't deemed to infringe any copyright, like with Pokémon, have a better chance of being able to continue in Palworld.

Interestingly, Nexus Mods – one of the largest modding sites on the web – told PCGamesN that it is "not comfortable hosting" any Pokémon content surrounding Palworld.

What could this mean for the future of Palworld?

Without naming the game outright, The Pokémon Company has shared its intent to investigate any copyright claims in other titles.

That said, it has not formally begun any legal action against Palworld developer Pocketpair or any other developer.

A great IGN article spoke to several video game lawyers, with Peter Lewis of Wiggin suggesting that a lawsuit "would depend on which country Nintendo pursued legal action in, given the differences in IP laws across the globe". Do give that piece a full read for a further breakdown.

It's hard to say at this point what the outcome of this will be. Many corners of the web are convinced that a takedown is inevitable, while others don't think the game has copied anything outright, instead just imitated - which would likely not grant reason for a lawsuit.

We have to wait and see in the coming weeks of the outcome, but in the meantime, Palworld is going nowhere.

Palworld is available in early access across Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.

Read more on Palworld: Full list of Palworld Pals | Do Pals evolve? | Palworld vs Pokémon | Palworld on Xbox Game Pass vs Steam | Palworld bosses | Palworld mods | Palworld Anubis | Palworld base guide | Palworld map | Palworld Ore farm | Palworld patch notes | Is Palworld free? | Palworld sales numbers | Palworld Depresso | Palworld starters | Palworld breeding combos | Palworld PC requirements | Will Palworld come to PS4, Mac and Switch? | Palworld server status | Palworld multiplayer | Palworld achievements | Palworld reviews | Palworld release date

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