The Pokémon rights holders come out of their silence to talk about “the game launched in January 2024 by another company”.
Since its successful launch, the Palworld game has been the subject of numerous controversies. Its concept of putting virtual monsters, but also humans, in slavery or for food, can raise questions. Above all, the design of the Pals is strongly reminiscent of that of the Pokémon.
Enough to raise accusations of plagiarism over the game, especially when the studio seems to be a fan of the exercise. Enough to make The Pokémon Company react, the company co-owned by Nintendo which officially holds the reins of the Pokémon franchise.
A two-way statement
Here is the official press release published by The Pokémon Company this January 25, 2023.
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 this game. We intend to investigate and take appropriate action to remedy any acts that infringe intellectual property rights relating to Pokémon. We will continue to cherish and nurture each Pokémon and its world, and we will strive to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future.
Like any official press release, it is necessary to analyze it to understand its true meaning. First of all, it is obvious that “ another company’s game released in January 2024 » for which the company has received many requests is Palworld. With 8 million sales in 6 days, the game is a phenomenon worthy of the biggest successes of the Pokémon franchise.
The company is clear: Palworld has no rights to the intellectual property of Pokémon and the rights holders will therefore carry out an investigation to determine whether there has been plagiarism and theft, which could lead to a trial.
Be careful though, this is not really a threat against Pocket Pair, the studio behind Palworld. In reality, this is a general response given to undoubtedly numerous requests from journalists and lawyers over several days. This message should also serve as a warning for other groups who would like to cross the red line, like this Palworld mod which directly integrated Pokémon.
The response offered by The Pokémon Company is in fact a minimal response here with the classic reminder of the importance of the franchise and a duty to respect intellectual property. At this point, it seems unlikely that the company will launch a lawsuit against Pocket Pair, despite the game’s success.
Plagiarism without trial
This is the difference between a trial for copyright infringement, which would be very difficult to prove in court, and the public debate concerning the morality of Palworld and the unabashed resemblance of its monster designs to Pokémon.
The next game announced from the developers of Palworld is called Never Grave. The game looks like an uninspired copy of Hollow Knight with the gimmick of Super Mario Odyssey. The studio went so far as to take exactly the idea of the hat allowing you to take control of an opposing creature.
The boss and founder of the studio makes no secret of it. In a 2022 interview for Wired Japan magazine.
On the other hand, I have a deep desire that as many people as possible enjoy my work and, for this reason, if there is a good idea in the world, I will take it up, and I have no not necessarily need to be attentive to originality. I want to make it more appropriate or more carefree. I think it’s a good way to make sure that you can jump on what’s fashionable or trendy (laughs).
Jumping on what’s trendy without an ounce of originality. This is probably also how we can describe Palworld.