Palworld: Pokémon Company to Investigate Allegations of Copying

The Pokémon Company has announced that it will be investigating allegations of copyright infringement against the online multiplayer game Palworld. Fans have pointed out similarities between Palworld and the popular Pokémon franchise, leading to accusations of copying. The Pokémon Company stated that it would take appropriate action if its copyright had been breached. Pocketpair, the maker of Palworld, has stated that the game passed all legal checks before its release. Palworld gained attention for its trailer in 2021, which led to it being dubbed “Pokémon with guns”. The game revolves around collecting various creatures with different abilities, similar to Pokémon. The accusations of copying arose due to the designs of Palworld’s companions. The Pokémon Company released a statement referring to “another company’s game released in January 2024”, stating that it had not granted permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets. The company intends to investigate and take measures to address any infringement on its intellectual property rights. The Pokémon Company has not yet taken legal action against Pocketpair. An Australian YouTuber claimed that Nintendo issued a copyright claim against him after he posted a video showing Pokémon characters inside Palworld. The game has sold 8 million copies since its release in early access last Friday and has received positive reviews from users on digital store Steam. The team behind Palworld has acknowledged that the game’s success has exceeded expectations and is working to address issues caused by the high level of interest.