The developers of Palword, a recently released video game, have encountered a backlash, including death threats, due to the notable similarities between their creation and the well-known Nintendo franchise, Pokémon. Dubbed as “Pokémon with guns,” Palworld swiftly amassed five million sales on PC and Xbox shortly after its debut, as disclosed by the Palworld official [Account].
Takuro Mizobe, the CEO of Pocketpair, took to Twitter on Monday to confront the situation, expressing apprehensions regarding the defamatory remarks and alleged threats of violence aimed at the artists involved in Palworld. Mizobe implored the community to desist from such behavior and exhibit respect towards the creative team.
Enthusiasts and gamers promptly highlighted the striking resemblances between Palworld and Pokémon, pointing out similarities in character designs, with Grintale being likened to Galarian Meowth, among others. While fan-made games are not uncommon, the crux of the issue appears to revolve around the perceived commercialization of familiar Pokémon-esque characters in a fresh setting.
Despite the criticism, Pocketpair stands firm in their endorsement of Palworld, which has garnered considerable success with a sizable player community. The game’s unique amalgamation of creature capturing, battling, and multiplayer elements set in an expansive open-world environment has captured attention, albeit amidst controversy.
Allegations of employing AI in the game’s creation have emerged, although concrete evidence is yet to surface. Previous mentions of AI-generated art by Mizobe in relation to gaming ventures have sparked suspicions, including allusions to counterfeit Pokémon crafted using the technology. Nonetheless, Pocketpair appears undaunted by the accusations.
While comparisons to Pokémon are inevitable within the creature-capturing genre, Mizobe emphasized in an interview with Automaton Media that Palworld draws more influence from titles like Ark: Survival Evolved. He underscored the team’s commitment to crafting original content without encroaching on existing intellectual properties.
Despite apprehensions of potential legal repercussions from Nintendo, Pocketpair exudes confidence in the legitimacy of their game, having undergone legal scrutiny before its launch. Nevertheless, modders have already integrated authentic Pokémon into Palworld, introducing another layer of complexity to the situation.
Amidst the ongoing controversy, Mizobe acknowledged Pokémon as a substantial influence on Palworld but asserted that their game provides a unique gameplay experience. As dialogues persist within the gaming community, it appears that Pokémon enthusiasts may seek solace in expressing their concerns across various platforms.
