Palworld modders are taking proactive steps by restoring game mechanics that developer Pocketpair had to remove due to a patent lawsuit from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Last week, Pocketpair acknowledged that recent game updates were influenced by the ongoing legal battle.
Palworld hit the market in early 2024, available on Steam for $30 and included in Game Pass for Xbox and PC. The game shattered sales and concurrent player records. According to Takuro Mizobe, CEO of Pocketpair, the overwhelming success of Palworld resulted in profits that the studio was not fully prepared to manage. Capitalizing on this success, Pocketpair quickly signed a deal with Sony to establish Palworld Entertainment, aimed at expanding the franchise. Subsequently, the game was released on PS5.
Following Palworld's launch, the game faced scrutiny for similarities between its creatures, known as Pals, and Pokémon, leading to accusations of design plagiarism. Instead of pursuing a copyright infringement lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opted for a patent infringement approach, seeking 5 million yen (approximately $32,846) each, plus additional damages and an injunction to halt Palworld's distribution.
In November, Pocketpair confirmed it was being sued over three Japan-based patents related to capturing Pokémon in a virtual field. Palworld had featured a mechanic where players could throw a Pal Sphere at monsters in a field to capture them, reminiscent of the mechanics in the 2022 Nintendo Switch title, Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Six months later, Pocketpair admitted that changes implemented in Patch v0.3.11, released in November 2024, were a direct result of the legal action. This patch removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres, replacing it with a static summon beside the player, alongside other gameplay adjustments. Pocketpair stated that without these modifications, the gameplay experience would have deteriorated further.
Last week's Patch v0.5.5 further altered Palworld, changing the gliding mechanic from using Pals to requiring a glider item, although Pals still provide gliding buffs. Pocketpair described these changes as necessary "compromises" to avoid an injunction that could stop the game's development and sales.
In response, modders have swiftly acted to restore the original gliding mechanic. The Glider Restoration mod by Primarinabee, available on Nexus Mods since May 10, has been downloaded hundreds of times. This mod essentially reverses the changes made in Patch v0.5.5, allowing players to glide with their Pals again, albeit with a glider still needed in inventory.
Another mod attempts to restore the throw-to-release mechanic for Pals, though it lacks the original ball-throwing animation. The longevity of these mods remains uncertain due to the ongoing lawsuit.
At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March, IGN interviewed John "Bucky" Buckley, communications director and publishing manager for Pocketpair. During his talk at the conference, Buckley discussed various challenges faced by Palworld, including accusations of using generative AI and copying Pokémon models, both of which Pocketpair has refuted. He also touched on the unexpected nature of Nintendo's patent lawsuit against the studio.
