September 20th 2024.
It's been a long time coming, but Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are finally taking legal action against Palworld, a game that seems to be a direct competitor to the popular Pokémon franchise. The resemblance between the two is hard to miss, and it seems that Nintendo's lawyers are not taking this lightly.
Although the gameplay of Palworld differs from that of Pokémon, with a focus on survival and base-building rather than just catching creatures, the design of the "pals" in the game is eerily similar to that of Pokémon. This has raised red flags for Nintendo, known for their efficient legal team, who recently won $11 million in damages from games that were blatantly copying Pokémon.
Fresh off this victory, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have set their sights on Palworld, with plans to sue the game's developer, Pocketpair, for damages and seek an injunction to potentially shut down the game. It's no surprise that Nintendo will have no trouble proving the similarities between the designs, but whether they will be successful in winning damages and shutting down the game remains to be seen.
The Pokémon Company had previously stated their intention to investigate and take appropriate measures against any infringement of their intellectual property rights related to Pokémon. Now, it seems that their investigations have concluded and legal action is being taken. Former Nintendo legal boss, Chris Dyball, has dismissed Palworld as a "rip-off nonsense" and expressed surprise that it wasn't dealt with sooner.
In a statement released on Wednesday night, Nintendo announced their lawsuit against Palworld, seeking an injunction and compensation for damages. They also reiterated their commitment to protect their intellectual property, including the Nintendo brand itself.
Palworld was released earlier this year and quickly became one of the most popular video games on Steam, breaking records. While its popularity has since declined, it still remains in the top 60 games played on PC. The game was also a success on Xbox and is expected to be announced for PlayStation 5 at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show.
It's unclear what prompted this long-awaited lawsuit, but it's possible that the lawyers needed time to prepare. After all, they have a track record of winning similar cases. However, it's worth noting that some fans have accused Palworld's creator, Takuro Mizobe, of not being original in his designs and using AI to create "new" creatures by blending existing Pokémon designs.
Mizobe has always seemed indifferent to the possibility of being sued, claiming that he tries to avoid creating new things because it's difficult. Despite the upcoming PlayStation 5 news, Pocketpair has announced that they will not be turning Palworld into a live service game, as it was not originally designed for that purpose. This decision may come as a surprise, considering the similarities between Palworld and other live service games.
In conclusion, it's safe to say that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are taking this lawsuit seriously. The outcome remains uncertain, but it's clear that they will do whatever it takes to protect their intellectual property. As for Palworld, only time will tell if it will continue to be a popular game or if it will be forced to shut down.
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