Palworld Mods Reintroduce Features After Nintendo Lawsuit

Palworld's modding community is actively working to reinstate gameplay features that developer Pocketpair was compelled to remove following legal pressure from Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

Legal Battle Forces Gameplay Changes

Pocketpair recently acknowledged that recent updates altered game mechanics in response to ongoing litigation. These changes came after the studio's unprecedented success with Palworld's early 2024 launch on Steam, Xbox, and PC Game Pass - a release that shattered sales records and concurrent player counts.

The developer faced such overwhelming financial success that Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe admitted the company struggled to manage the massive profits. Capitalizing on this momentum, the studio partnered with Sony to establish Palworld Entertainment for franchise expansion, later bringing the game to PS5.

While initial accusations focused on design similarities between Palworld's creatures and Pokémon, Nintendo opted for patent litigation rather than copyright claims. The companies seek 5 million yen (approx $32,846) each plus damages, along with potential sales restrictions.

Modders Rebuild Removed Features

Pocketpair confirmed that November 2024's Patch v0.3.11 modified core mechanics - including removing the throwing animation for summoning Pals - to comply with legal demands. The studio argued these changes prevented more severe gameplay disruptions.

Last week's Patch v0.5.5 further altered mechanics, transforming gliding from a Pal-powered ability to requiring equipment. These "compromises," as Pocketpair called them, aim to avoid potential injunctions.

Modders swiftly responded, with Primarinabee's Glider Restoration mod on Nexus Mods reversing Patch 0.5.5's changes within days. The popular mod restores Pal-powered gliding while maintaining technical compatibility with future updates.

Ongoing Legal Uncertainties

The modding community's efforts raise questions about how long these restored features will remain available. While alternative solutions exist for other removed mechanics, they don't fully replicate the original implementations.

At GDC 2024, Pocketpair's John "Bucky" Buckley discussed the studio's surprise at the lawsuit and its handling of various controversies, including false accusations about AI-generated assets. Buckley emphasized the legal action was "something no one even considered" during development.

As the legal proceedings continue, both Pocketpair and its player community navigate the challenging balance between creative expression and intellectual property protections.