Palworld has seen unprecedented success following its early access launch on Jan. 19 but has drawn some unwanted eyes as The Pokémon Company is investigating the game for intellectual property (IP) infringement. That puts parts of the survival game in danger, but does that mean it will shut down?
Despite what many fans think, Nintendo does not hold the power when it comes to the Pokémon brand. That falls solely to The Pokémon Company, jointly founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures in April 1998. It’s directly responsible for almost all things Pokémon, which is why its statement regarding the investigation into Palworld carries so much weight. But there are several ways this potential legal situation could go down,
Will Palworld stop updating or shut down because of The Pokémon Company IP investigation?
On Jan. 24, The Pokémon Company released a statement regarding, but not directly mentioning, Palworld and the various inquiries it has received about “another company’s game released in January 2024” and would be opening an investigation surrounding potential IP and asset usage. This does not mean TPC will sue or take legal action against Pocketpair for Palworld.
Here is the full statement from TPC on the situation: “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game. We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon. We will continue to cherish and nurture each and every Pokémon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future.”
The wording of this statement reads more like TPC, and potentially its partners at Nintendo and Game Freak, just wanted to acknowledge the situation regarding Palworld and the similarities being drawn between it and the Pokémon franchise publicly after being bombarded by “inquiries” from people pointing it out.
Using the term “appropriate measures” likely means TPC will begin a more thorough investigation of Pocketpair and the potential use of Pokémon assets in the game’s development but won’t be looking to escalate things into a legal battle. Barring any actual incriminating IP or asset theft being uncovered, this seems intended to get people to stop reaching out about “Pokémon with guns” ripping off the company’s IP more than anything. A mod introducing Pokémon designs and characters into Palworld was already DMCA’d.
Pocketpair has openly spoken about the similarities drawn between Palworld and Pokémon, with studio CEO Takuro Mizobe speaking out against “slanderous comments” regarding the game’s development and noting the team has undergone legal reviews ahead of launch.
“‘Will it be able to launch’ feels like a bit of an extreme question, but we make our games very seriously, and we have absolutely no intention of infringing upon the intellectual property of other companies,” Mizobe said to Automaton on Jan. 23. “We have undergone legal reviews, and at this moment, there have been no specific actions taken by other companies. I know there have been all kinds of rumors floating about on the internet, but please rest assured and give our game a chance.”
The general public probably won’t hear any updates on this situation until Pocketpair releases a statement or things escalate into a legal battle. The best-case scenario for Palworld is that nothing happens and this is the last time we see TPC weigh in. Otherwise, the developers might be in some hot water and need to settle with TPC, redesign some elements of the game, or, as a last resort, shut things down. For now, this shouldn’t affect Palworld’s content update roadmap much.
