The recentNintendo lawsuitagainst thePalworlddeveloper, PocketPair, has been raging for some time.Although much has been away from the public eye,the recent Palworld updatethat changed a significant part of the game proves the lawsuit is anything but calming down.
Although initial reports and some ongoing misconceptions think the Pals are the issue, with many pointing out how similar the 3D models of the Pals were to Nintendo’s ownPokémon,the lawsuit has actually been aimed at mechanics and gameplay, as Pokémon inspire Palworld in more ways than just character design.
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As revealed in arecent tweet, an earlier November patch aimed to address some of Nintendo’s core allegations. To address the Pals directly coming out of the Pal Spheres that contain them,Palworldchanged it so that Pals spawn at your feet to eliminate the similarities toPokémonand Poké balls.
The most recent patch addresses yet another potential issue for the lawsuit.You will no longer be able to glide on Pals through the air across the open world, as according to Pocketpair, that is also a concern in the ongoing litigation.
Although you’ll still be able to glide throughout the air in the game, you’ll no longer be able to use a Pal to do so. Instead, you’ll be gliding through the air on a glider, akin to what’s in games likeBreath Of The Wild.
Pocketpair’s tweet states that “these changes are necessary in order to prevent further disruptions to the development ofPalworld.” The phrasing even suggests thatNintendo’s legal teamis pushing Pocketpair to make these changes.
How can Nintendo assert that gliding through the world with a Pal encroaches on their property?It seems as though many fans agree that this claim is insane, with the most common reply to the announcement being the typical “f* Nintendo”.
By extension, many fans say they’ll no longer purchase a Nintendo Switch 2after Nintendo’s recent actions degraded the experience of one of their favorite games.One tweethas stated:
“Not buying a Switch 2, not buying more Nintendo or Pokémon products. Digimon was always better anyways.”
The mostcommon reactionseems to be flat-out confusion — people questioning “Gliding with your pal is patented?” or “How isPokémon/Nintendo even allowed to do this?”
Honestly, this confusion makes the most sense. From films like Avatar (ironically, both the James Cameron film and The Last Airbender) to games likePanzer Dragoon,Hogwarts Legacy, andHorizon Forbidden West, riding on a massive beast is anything but uncommon throughout media.
So the question has turned into, what does it mean for Palworld to infringe on Nintendo’s content?
Why Is Nintendo Attacking Palworld’s Gameplay?
A few big pieces of the debate need to be brought up. For one, this case is beinghandled in Japanwhich, compared to America, means that litigation and infringement cases are carried out a bit differently.
This focus on Japanese markets can be seen in Pocketpair’s previous hesitation torelease the game on PS5in the country, which indicates that releasing the game on the platform there would probably fuel Nintendo’s previously established accusations in Japan.
Second, it should be noted that because Nintendo is focusing on gameplay, not previously assumedaspects like 3D models, all of these tactics should be expected.Nintendo is purposefully attacking gameplay elements like the Pals releasing out of balls, and the ability to ride around on these Pals.
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Simply put, Nintendo’s legal team is attacking everything surroundingPalworld’sgameplay. This is exactly what Pocketpair is referencing when they mention how “we have had to make certain compromises in order to avoid disruptions to the development and distribution ofPalworld.”
But this begins to get murky because, like Warner Bros. patentingthe nemesis system,taking control of gameplay systems is inherently vague and detrimental to the industry’s growth.What most fans are actually upset about is Nintendo essentially saying they have ownership of a certain type of gameplay.
However, fromDigimonto other monster collecting games, some of which were founded before Nintendo even madePokémon, it’s not as thoughPokémonis the first and only to do it.
Sadly, we’ll likely see a few more compromises between Nintendo and companies like Pocketpair in the future, and it’ll likely take a lot more time to see who comes on top in this recent court case.
WHERE TO PLAY
Palworld is a survival crafting game with colorful monster collecting elements. Build bases, catch dangerous creatures called Pals, explore dungeons, and group up with friends!
