Modifying Games is Against the Law – The Case of “Palworld”

In a recent incident, a video showcasing a modification of the game “Palworld” was promptly removed by Nintendo from Twitter and YouTube for copyright infringement. The creator of the modification, known as ToastedShoes, had uploaded a short clip of the modification on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday. However, the video was swiftly taken down as it was reported to be a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by Nintendo. In response, ToastedShoes commented, stating, “Nintendo came after me.”

Despite the removal of the clip from X, ToastedShoes proceeded to upload the full video on YouTube, which was also quickly removed. Players who managed to catch a glimpse of the video before the DMCA notice was issued witnessed the main characters from “Palworld,” called Pals, being replaced with 3D models from the “Pokémon” games. Not only were the creatures derived from “Pokémon,” but the player’s main character was substituted with Ash Ketchum, the protagonist of the “Pokémon” anime, while his companions Misty and Brock became playable characters within the game. Furthermore, the first boss was replaced by Jessie from Team Rocket.

Although many fans requested ToastedShoes to provide a download link for the modification, others pointed out that the usage of “Pokémon” assets in the game was an obvious violation of copyright laws. Additionally, some observed that ToastedShoes typically concealed their modifications behind paid content on Patreon, implying that the “Pokémon Palworld” modification may have generated income based on copyrighted material.

The removal notice regarding the modification raises questions among fans regarding whether the game “Palworld” itself will face a similar legal process. However, Pocketpair, the creators of “Palworld,” are not convinced that their game infringes Nintendo’s copyright.

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The source of the article is from the blog elektrischnederland.nl