“Palworld Controversy: The Pokemon Company Addresses Similarities with Pocketpair’s Game”
A week after the release of Palworld in early access, The Pokemon Company issued an official statement. There has been a lot of controversy regarding the similarities between Pokemon and Pocketpair’s survival game, as Palworld features various creatures that look just like The Pokemon Company's pocket monsters.
The release of Palworld in early access on January 19 took the gaming world by storm. In the first six days after launch, the game sold over 8 million units and reached 2 million concurrent players on Steam. Palworld became one of the most popular Steam games of all time. Players quickly dubbed Palworld as “Pokemon with guns,” as Pocketpair’s game features various monsters to capture that can equip weapons. Besides collecting these monsters, known as Pals, the goal of Palworld is to uncover the secrets of the Palpagos Islands and build a base to craft tools and cook food to avoid dying from hunger.
As controversies rise regarding the similarities between the creatures from Palworld and Pokemon, The Pokemon Company issued an official statement saying it “intend[s] to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokemon." While The Pokemon Company didn’t address Palworld by name, the statement mentions “another company’s game released in January 2024,” leaving little doubt regarding which game it intends to investigate.
The Pokemon Company's Statement About Palworld
We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game. We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon. We will continue to cherish and nurture each and every Pokémon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future.
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