After years of debate on social media and elsewhere about Palworld, and the fact that some aspects of it bear some resemblance to Pokemon, the company responsible for the latter released a statement acknowledging this. Well, sort of.
Earlier this week, we had some real lawyers weigh in on the entire Palworld/Pokemon discussion – which largely stems from the designs used on some of the former’s models – offering something a little more than that Less unhinged insights. Armchair legal expert chatter occurred elsewhere. Now, The Pokemon Company has decided to say something, although not much.
iGamesNews
“We have received a number of inquiries about another company’s game being released in January 2024,” the company wrote in a rather corporately worded statement posted on its company website. There’s no need to guess which one is being referred to there. January edition.
“We have not granted any license to use Pokémon intellectual property or assets in this game,” it went on to confirm, adding: “We intend to investigate and take appropriate steps to resolve any infringements related to Pokémon Acts related to intellectual property rights related to “Dream”. Pokémon.”
The statement ended on an interesting note: “We will continue to cherish and nurture each Pokémon and their world, and strive to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future.”
So, to recap, all the Pokemon Company is doing here – without mentioning Palworld by name – is confirming that it’s aware of the game’s existence, is planning to investigate whether any aspect of it does infringe on the Pokemon IP, and may take Action against Palworld if it finds it justified.
That’s pretty much what we expected given the overall situation right now, with Palworld continuing to gain more and more attention in attract players, and of course there is no guarantee that any major substantive events will occur between the two companies from a legal perspective. That said, if you plan on making or displaying any Pokemon-themed mods for Palworld, you’re likely to get some attention from the company behind the former.
If you want to get started with Palworld, be sure to check out our series of guides covering everything from the best Pal breeding combinations to how to treat status effects like Pal depression.
