Palworld Gameplay Altered Due to Pokémon Lawsuit: Developers Express Disappointment

Palworld, the hit survival game that took the world by storm, is facing significant changes due to an ongoing lawsuit filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Developer Pocketpair has confirmed that adjustments have been made to the game, much to the disappointment of both the company and its player base.

The legal battle, initiated last year in Japan, alleges that Palworld infringes on patents related to monster-catching gameplay. Nintendo and The Pokémon Company claim that Pocketpair has violated multiple patent rights, leading to demands for compensation.

One of the initial changes, implemented in Palworld patch v0.3.11 (November 30th, 2024), saw the removal of the ability to summon Pals using Pal Spheres. Instead, players were limited to a static summon next to their character. Pocketpair stated, “This patch removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres and instead changed it to a static summon next to the player.”

The developers further explained that other game mechanics were also altered at that time. “As many have speculated, these changes were indeed a result of the ongoing litigation. Everyone here at Pocketpair was disappointed that this adjustment had to be made, and we fully understand that many players feel the same frustration,” they added.

Now, with the release of Palworld patch v0.5.5, Pocketpair is implementing another significant compromise: gliding will now be performed using a glider instead of Pals. While Pals in the player's team will still provide passive buffs, a glider must be present in the player's inventory to glide. According to Pocketpair, “From this patch onward, gliding will be performed using a glider rather than with Pals. Pals in the player’s team will still provide passive buffs to gliding, but players will now need to have a glider in their inventory in order to glide.”

The decision to transition to a glider mechanic is speculated to be a response to gliding mechanics prevalent in titles such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Scarlet and Violet.

Pocketpair acknowledges the potential disappointment among its player base and emphasizes the necessity of these changes to prevent further disruptions to development. The studio posted to X (formerly Twitter) on May 8, stating: "Currently, we remain involved in prolonged legal proceedings regarding alleged patent infringement. We continue to dispute these claims and assert the invalidity of the patents in question. However, we have had to make certain compromises in order to avoid disruptions to the development and distribution of Palworld.”

Despite the ongoing legal challenges, Pocketpair remains committed to the future of Palworld. They assure fans that they are dedicated to developing the game and delivering exciting new content, even while navigating the complexities of the lawsuit.

What do you think about these changes to Palworld? Will these adjustments affect your enjoyment of the game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

• Nintendo
• Palworld
• Pokemon