Palworld Modders Bring Back Features Removed Due to Nintendo and Pokémon Patent Dispute

In a bold move, modders of the popular game Palworld are stepping up to reinstate gameplay mechanics that developer Pocketpair was compelled to remove due to legal pressures from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. This comes in the wake of Pocketpair's acknowledgment that recent patches, including Patch v0.3.11 in November 2024 and Patch v0.5.5 last week, were direct results of an ongoing patent lawsuit.

Palworld, which burst onto the scene early in 2024, priced at $30 on Steam and available on Game Pass for Xbox and PC, shattered sales and concurrent player records. The game's monumental launch overwhelmed Pocketpair, with CEO Takuro Mizobe admitting the developer struggled to manage the influx of profits. Capitalizing on this success, Pocketpair quickly inked a deal with Sony to establish Palworld Entertainment, aimed at expanding the franchise. The game later made its debut on PS5.

The legal tussle with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company stems from accusations that Palworld's Pals resemble Pokémon, leading to a patent infringement lawsuit rather than a copyright claim. The companies are seeking 5 million yen (approximately $32,846) each, plus damages for late payments, and an injunction that could halt Palworld's release. The lawsuit focuses on three Japan-based patents related to capturing creatures in a virtual field, similar to Palworld's mechanic of using Pal Spheres to catch monsters.

In response to the legal threats, Pocketpair implemented significant changes with Patch v0.3.11, removing the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres and replacing it with a static summon next to the player. Patch v0.5.5 further altered gameplay by changing how gliding is performed, requiring players to use a glider rather than Pals. Pocketpair described these modifications as "compromises" necessary to avoid an injunction that could severely impact the game's development and sales.

However, modders have swiftly countered these changes. Just a week after Patch v0.5.5, Primarinabee's Glider Restoration mod was released on Nexus Mods, effectively reversing the gliding mechanic changes. The mod, which has seen hundreds of downloads since its release on May 10, allows players to glide with their Pals once again, albeit with the requirement of having a glider in their inventory.

Another mod exists to restore the throw-to-release mechanic for Pals, though it lacks the original ball-throwing animation. The longevity of these mods remains uncertain as the lawsuit continues.

At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March, IGN had an in-depth discussion with John "Bucky" Buckley, Pocketpair's communications director and publishing manager. Buckley's talk, "Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop," delved into the game's challenges, including accusations of using generative AI and stealing Pokémon models, both of which Pocketpair has refuted. Buckley also touched on the unexpected nature of the patent lawsuit from Nintendo, describing it as a "shock" to the studio.