Palworld, the crafting and survival game dubbed "Pokémon with guns," has achieved remarkable success since its January 2024 early access launch, boasting over 32 million players across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. Developer Pocketpair expressed gratitude for this overwhelming support, promising continued efforts to enhance Palworld in its second year. The game's launch, priced at $30 on Steam and included in Xbox Game Pass, shattered sales and concurrent player records, leading to such significant profits that Pocketpair initially struggled to manage them. This success propelled the developer to forge a new partnership with Sony, establishing Palworld Entertainment to expand the IP and bring the game to the PS5.
However, this meteoric rise is overshadowed by a high-profile patent lawsuit involving Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Following Palworld's launch, comparisons to Pokémon, including accusations of design similarities, led to the lawsuit. Instead of a copyright infringement claim, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a patent infringement suit, seeking 5 million yen (approximately $32,846) each, plus damages and an injunction. Pocketpair confirmed the three Japanese patents at issue, which center around 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, fueling speculation about its connection to the lawsuit.
Patent experts view the lawsuit as a testament to the threat Palworld poses. While the outcome remains uncertain, Pocketpair has pledged to vigorously defend its position in court. Despite the legal battle, Pocketpair continues to release major updates and collaborate with other prominent games, including a recent crossover with Terraria.
