Palworld – A New Sensation on Steam
On January 19, 2024, a new game called Palworld was released on the Steam platform. Developed by Japanese developer Pocket Pair, Palworld is a dynamic survival action game where players embark on monster-hunting quests. It didn’t take long for gamers to draw comparisons between Palworld and the iconic Pokémon franchise. As of now, Palworld has sold over 8 million copies, an incredible achievement that showcases its popularity. Many fans describe it as the game they’ve always dreamed of – Pokémon with weapons.
Users quickly noticed that many of the monsters that can be captured in Palworld bear a striking resemblance to those from the world of Pokémon. Allegations were made about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to scale and replicate Pokémon models. However, according to Steam’s policy, game developers must explicitly state how they have utilized AI in the game’s creation process. Currently, Palworld does not provide such information. While developers of Palworld have shown interest in AI on social media in recent years, there is no confirmation whether AI was used to create Palworld. It is worth noting that when sharing information about their monsters, Palworld creators mentioned specific artists who were assigned to their projects.
The topic of comparing Palworld’s monsters to Pokémon quickly gained popularity on social media, sparking many interesting reactions.
In an unusual move, the international company Pokémon released a statement addressing these comparisons: “We have received many inquiries regarding a game released by another company in January 2024,” wrote The Pokemon Company. “We did not grant permission for the use of our intellectual property or Pokémon assets in this game. We intend to investigate the matter and take appropriate steps to combat any intellectual property infringements relating to Pokémon. We will continue to nurture and protect each Pokémon and its world, working to create a future where Pokémon connects us all.”
Nintendo has already taken legal action against some individuals who created a mod in Palworld that replaced the main character Ash Ketchum and Pokémon monsters. A well-known modder using the pseudonym Toasted Shoes shared their Pokémon Palworld mod, which was removed within 24 hours based on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) at Nintendo’s initiative. Toasted Shoes gave an interview to IGN, saying, “We would love to complete the mod pack and release it publicly for free, but for now, we have to adjust because we don’t want any legal troubles.”
The Palworld creators claim that there is no copyright infringement, stating, “We take game development very seriously and have no intention of infringing on the intellectual property rights of other companies.” Nintendo also acknowledges the existence of Palworld but does not comment on specific cases. Nintendo has also confirmed that they have not granted any licenses or assets to Palworld. Don McGowan, a former leader of the legal-licensing team at Pokémon Company, said in an interview with Game File, “This looks like the typical infringement that I’ve seen a thousand times a year when I was the head lawyer for Pokémon.”
It seems that much of the discussion surrounding copyright infringement will revolve around the use of Pokémon models, rather than just being inspired by their designs. Regardless, Palworld seems to have taken Steam by storm and is already one of the most popular games on the platform. Have you played Palworld yet? Let us know your impressions!
Palworld Game FAQ
The source of the article is from the blog tvbzorg.com