Palworld, a survival crafting-themed game developed by Pocketpair, has recently undergone major changes to its game mechanics to comply with lawsuits from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
In September 2024, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld. They claimed that some of the mechanics in the game, such as capturing creatures using a ball and riding monsters, infringed on their patents. Although the creature designs in Palworld does not explicitly infringe copyright PokémonThere are significant similarities in the concept and game mechanics that triggered this lawsuit.
Changes Applied in Palworld
In response to these lawsuits, Pocketpair made several changes in their latest update. The first update occurred in November 2024, when the Pal Sphere Removed. This feature allows players to throw balls to catch creatures, similar to the mechanic of Poké Ball in Pokémon. In a new update, Pals (being in Palworld) will immediately appear next to the player without going through the ball-throwing animation.
The second change took place in May 2025, where the ability to glide using Pals was also removed. Previously, players could use Pals to glide through the air, but after the update, players will have to use glider items to glide, while Pals only provide helpful passive effects during the process.
Developer and Player Reactions
Pocketpair expressed disappointment at this change, given that the removed features were an important part of the gameplay enjoyed by many players. However, the developer emphasized that the decision was a compromise step that needed to be taken to avoid further potential damage to the game's development and distribution. Despite the legal challenge, Pocketpair is committed to continuing to develop the game. Palworld and bring new updates and content to its fans.
This change certainly has an impact on the gaming experience Palworld. Players who previously enjoyed unique mechanics like Pal Sphere and the use of Pals for gliding will now have to adjust to the latest update. That said, these changes don't completely ruin the gameplay Palworld and can be considered a move by the developer to keep the game alive in a competitive market.
Source: PC Gamer
