The Pokemon Company addresses the whole Palworld thing without actually mentioning, well, Palworld
The Donphan in the room has been acknowledged, sort of.
Following what feels like years worth of debate on social media and in other places about Palworld and the fact that some aspects of it are a bit similar to Pokemon, the company responsible for the latter has issued a statement acknowledging it. Well, sort of.
We’ve already had some actual lawyers weigh in on the whole Palworld/Pokemon discourse - which has largely stemmed from the designs used for a few of the former’s models - earlier this week, providing some insight that’s a little bit less unhinged than the kind of armchair legal expert patter that’s been going on elsewhere. Now, The Pokemon Company has decided to say something, though it’s not a whole lot.
In a quite corporately-worded statement posted to its corporate website, the company wrote: “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024.” No points for guessing which January release is being referred to there.
“We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokemon intellectual property or assets in that game,” it went on to confirm, adding: “We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokemon.”
The statement closes with the interestingly phrased line: “We will continue to cherish and nurture each and every Pokemon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokemon in the future.”
So, to recap, all that The Pokemon Company’s done here - without mentioning Palworld by name - is confirm that it’s aware of the game’s existence, is planning to investigate whether any aspects of it actually infringe on Pokemon IP, and will likely take action against Palworld if it finds it has reason to.
It’s pretty much what we could have expected given what the whole situation looks like at present, with Palworld continuing to gain more and more traction in terms of attracting players, and certainly no guarantee that anything of major substance is going to happen between the two companies from a legal perspective. That said, if you’re planning on making or showcasing any Pokemon-themed mods for Palworld, you can probably expect some attention from the companies behind the former.
If you’re trying to get started with Palworld, make sure to check out our array of guides to everything from the best Pal breeding combos to how to treat status effects like Pal depression.