The Pokemon Company to investigate Palworld for possible IP infringement & "take appropriate measures" if needed

The Pokemon Company released an announcement addressing the recent controversy surrounding Palworld and alleged IP infringement. While the Pocketpair MMO title has seen impressive success, it has also been embroiled in various controversies, ranging from being accused of Pokemon rip-offs to AI art.

The community shared stark design similarities between Pals and Pokemon, wondering how they looked so similar. Many started wondering what The Pokemon Company's stance would be, given that Nintendo is known for being a litigious company when it comes to their IPs.

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The Pokemon Company finally responds to community Pokemon rip-off allegations against Palworld

Earlier today (January 25, 2024), The Pokemon Company shared the following statement:

"We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game. We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon. We will continue to cherish and nurture each and every Pokémon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future."

While they did not mention it by name, it is clear that Palworld is the title in question that is in the crosshair of The Pokemon Company's intended investigation. This statement allays players who have been repeatedly asking whether the company was investigating or pursuing any avenues against the alleged rip-off.

Not only was Palworld accused of having design similarities with Pokemon but also of having similar complex model meshes. Former PlayStation and Blizzard developer Eric Covington chimed in:

"To “accidentally” create a complex model mesh with so near-exact proportions is practically impossible. To repeat that improbability throughout your roster… doesn’t pass the sniff test."

Another X user also discussed the possibility of developers having used AI image generation in Palworld to take shortcuts. The controversies also elicited a response from Takuro Mizobe (Pocketpair CEO), who stated that the developers were facing online abuse and death threats.

Whether it will lead to any concrete legal ramifications for Pocketpair remains to be seen. For now, the community will wait eagerly to find out what The Pokemon Company reveals regarding their investigation.

One thing is for sure: a large section of the playerbase enjoys the new MMO's take on monster-catching survival games. At the time of writing, Palworld has sold more than seven million units in the first five days since launch and has had a concurrent player count peak of 2,018,905.