Pokemon Company to Investigate Palworld

Nintendo, the owner of The Pokémon Company, has finally issued a statement on the recent phenomenon of Palworld, a survival game that features creatures that resemble Pokémon. The game, which was released in early access on Steam in January 2024, has sold over 8 million copies and has reached the second highest number of concurrent players in Steam history. However, it has also sparked controversy for its alleged infringement of Pokémon’s intellectual property rights.

In a press release posted on The Pokémon Company’s Japanese corporate site, Nintendo said that it has “… received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024” The statement did not mention Palworld by name, but it was clear that it was referring to the game. Nintendo said that it has “not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game” and that it intends to “investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon.”

At the end Nintendo expressed its commitment to “cherish and nurture each and every Pokémon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future.” This seemed to be a subtle jab at Palworld’s depiction of its creatures, which are called Pals, as they are used for warfare and work. 

Nintendo is known for being very protective of its intellectual property and has a very long history of taking legal action against fan-made projects that use its characters or assets without permission. A modder who put actual Pokémon characters into Palworld has already received a DMCA from Nintendo, resulting in the removal of his tweet and YouTube video about the mod. It is unclear whether Nintendo will pursue a lawsuit against Palworld’s developer, Pocketpair, or seek to remove the game from Steam.

At the time of writing Palworld’s developer, Pocketpair, has not yet responded to Nintendo’s statement. The game is still in early access on Steam and current and last gen Xbox consoles and is expected to receive updates and improvements in the future. 

Palworld has also received some positive reviews from players who enjoy its open-world exploration, crafting, building, and combat mechanics, as well as its variety of Pals and biomes. Some players have also praised the game for its originality and creativity, despite its obvious inspiration from Pokémon.

Palworld is a game that has divided the gaming community and sparked a debate over the boundaries of fair use, artistic expression, and fan service. Whether Nintendo will succeed in stopping Palworld’s popularity or whether Palworld will continue to thrive as a unique and controversial game remains to be seen.