Pocketpair, the studio behind the viral survival monster-catcher Palworld, is facing trouble due to the lawsuit with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Pocketpair has confirmed that the recent game changes were not just design tweaks, but legal damage control. The patent lawsuit from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company is forcing the developers to alter how the game works.
In a public statement, Pocketpair revealed that Patch v0.3.11 was implemented as a direct result of the ongoing legal battle. Instead of tossing a ball and having your buddy pop out like it’s in the popular Pokémon Legends: Arceus, summoning is now static. The Pal in the game now simply spawns next to you.
Other patches, like Patch v0.5.5, have made significant changes to the overall in-game mechanics. Previously, Pals could be used to glide, but now you’ll need a separate glider item in your inventory, with Pals only offering passive buffs while on your team.
It’s another major shake-up, one that Pocketpair calls a compromise. They even stated that they understand this will be disappointing for many, but they hope fans understand that these changes are necessary to prevent further disruptions.
In case you missed it, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company aren’t suing over copyright. They are going the patent route and are targeting Palworld’s monster-catching mechanics, specifically the throw to catch gameplay that mirrors Pokémon. They’re asking for ¥5 million (about $32,800 USD) each, plus damages, and they want the game blocked entirely.
Source: Pocketpair, The Pokemon Company
But Pocketpair has made it clear that they’re still fighting the claims and challenging the validity of the patents in question. They say making these changes was a tough call, but necessary to keep development moving forward and to keep Palworld live in the stores.
Despite this legal mess, the developers aren’t slowing down. New content is still on the roadmap, and their community is holding strong. That said, if the lawsuit drags on, fans might have to be ready for more gameplay compromises.
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