Palworld Modders Restore Mechanics After Nintendo, Pokémon Lawsuit Forces Patch

In the wake of a patent lawsuit from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, Palworld modders are stepping up to restore gameplay mechanics that developer Pocketpair was compelled to remove. Last week, Pocketpair acknowledged that recent updates to the game were influenced by the ongoing legal battle.

Palworld, which launched early in 2024 on Steam for $30 and on Xbox and PC via Game Pass, shattered sales and concurrent player records. The game's success overwhelmed Pocketpair, with CEO Takuro Mizobe admitting the studio was unprepared for the massive profits. To leverage the game's popularity, Pocketpair quickly inked a deal with Sony to establish Palworld Entertainment, aimed at expanding the IP. The game later made its way to the PS5.

Following Palworld's explosive launch, it faced accusations of copying Pokémon designs, leading to comparisons between Palworld's Pals and Pokémon. Instead of pursuing a copyright infringement lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opted for a patent lawsuit, demanding 5 million yen (around $32,846) each, plus additional damages and an injunction to halt Palworld's distribution.

In November, Pocketpair confirmed it was being sued over three Japanese patents related to capturing Pokémon in a virtual field. Palworld featured a similar mechanic where players throw a Pal Sphere at monsters to capture them, reminiscent of the 2022 Nintendo Switch game, Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Six months later, Pocketpair released an update admitting that the changes were indeed a response to the legal threats. Patch v0.3.11, released in November 2024, modified the game by removing the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pal Spheres, replacing it with a static summon beside the player. This patch also altered several other mechanics.

Pocketpair explained that not making these changes would have worsened the gameplay experience for players. Last week’s Patch v0.5.5 further adjusted Palworld, changing gliding to require a glider rather than using Pals, though Pals still offer passive gliding buffs.

Pocketpair described these adjustments as "compromises" made to avoid an injunction that could stop Palworld's development and sales.

In a swift response, modders have restored the gliding mechanic. Primarinabee’s Glider Restoration mod, available on Nexus Mods, effectively reverses the changes introduced by Patch v0.5.5. The mod, which requires a glider in the player's inventory, has been downloaded hundreds of times since its release on May 10.

Another mod exists that partially restores the ability to release Pals by throwing, though it lacks the original ball-throwing animation. The longevity of these mods remains uncertain given the ongoing lawsuit.

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. Following his presentation, 'Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop,' Buckley detailed Palworld's challenges, including accusations of using generative AI and stealing Pokémon models—claims that have been refuted. He also touched on the unexpected nature of Nintendo's patent lawsuit against Pocketpair.