Palworld, the survival game developed by Pocketpair, has recently garnered significant attention following its explosive success in early access on PC and Xbox.
Despite achieving remarkable sales figures and amassing a substantial player base, the game has found itself embroiled in controversy over allegations of intellectual property infringement related to its character designs, which resemble those found in the popular Pokémon series.
Furukawa and the Pokémon company respond
During a Q&A session following Nintendo’s latest financial results briefing, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa addressed concerns surrounding Palworld’s alleged similarities to Pokémon.
While refraining from direct accusations against Palworld, Furukawa emphasized Nintendo’s commitment to protecting its intellectual property rights, stating, “We will take appropriate action against those that infringe our intellectual property rights.”
The Pokémon Company also broke its silence, confirming they were investigating whether Palworld violates their IP rights. In a statement, the company asserted that they had not granted permission to use Pokémon assets in the game and pledged to take necessary measures to address potential infringements.
Pocketpair’s response and legal clearance
Pocketpair’s director and CEO, Takuro Mizobe, defended Palworld against the allegations, asserting that the game had undergone legal reviews and had not faced any legal action from other companies.
Mizobe emphasized the studio’s dedication to creating games ethically, stating, “We make our games very seriously, and we have no intention of infringing upon the intellectual property of other companies.”
The debate surrounding Palworld’s character designs
Despite the stark differences in gameplay between Palworld and the Pokémon series, social media has been abuzz with debates over the striking similarities in character designs.
While some argue that the resemblances could be interpreted as plagiarism, others point to the distinct gameplay mechanics of Palworld as evidence of its originality.
