Palworld's Success Overshadowed by Legal and Creative Challenges

The indie survival game has thrived with over 32 million players but faces ongoing patent litigation with Nintendo and accusations of design plagiarism.

Palworld, described as 'Pokémon with guns,' became a massive success, selling 2 million copies within 24 hours and reaching 25 million players in its first month.
Nintendo filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair in September 2024, alleging patent infringement, particularly over the game's 'Pal Sphere' mechanic resembling Pokémon's PokéBalls.
Pocketpair conducted legal checks in Japan before Palworld's release, but the lawsuit revealed patent issues that were previously unconsidered.
The game faced significant backlash post-launch, including accusations of plagiarism and AI-generated designs, which the developers have denied.
Despite the challenges, Pocketpair has continued to update Palworld, introducing crossplay across platforms and maintaining a strong player base of over 32 million.