Is Palworld Accused of Pokémon Plagiarism?

Palworld, released in early access on January 18th, has undeniably been a success. The game has sold over 5 million copies in just three days and has become the third most popular game on the Steam platform. However, controversy has surrounded Palworld, particularly regarding accusations of character design plagiarism.

From the very beginning, Palworld has been referred to as “Pokémon with guns,” a lighthearted metaphor that has gained increasing significance over time. It was only after the game’s release that players began to notice just how accurate this metaphor is.

Almost immediately after its release, people started comparing the game’s characters to various Pokémon, and the results, well, speak for themselves.

Numerous examples of character design comparisons can be found online. However, many people defend the game by citing other franchises like Digimon. It’s a debate that seems to have no end in sight.

Insider Gaming has made multiple attempts to reach out to the game’s creators, PocketPair, for a comment on these accusations, but so far, we have not received a response. The only comment on the matter comes from the CEO of the Japanese company Automation. Takuro Mizobe stated that the game underwent all legal verifications before its release, adding, “Our approach to game development is very serious, and we have no intention of infringing on the intellectual property of other companies.” The CEO compared the game more to Ark than to Pokémon.

Insider Gaming also reached out to Nintendo and Game Freak, but both parties declined to comment.

Do you think Palworld, especially its characters, bear too much resemblance to Pokémon? If you’re interested in more video game news, read our article on why the year 2024 might be referred to as the “year of closures” in the industry.

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The source of the article is from the blog meltyfan.es